Brazen Girl
by the.nerd.voice
Summary: When a young marine is found to be the daughter of a high ranking official, the healing process can begin. Takes places in the middle of season 4. AU. AN: For the sake of this story, marines have call signs. It will be important later, I promise.
1. Chapter 1

Her father always told her to sleep with her blaster under her pillow; If not the firepower, than her tactical knife. It was a way of life. Her life. Her identification tags jingle as she lazily rolled onto her back, her eyes seeping open and squinting at the glow of the fluorescent light above the bunks, forcing her honey colored orbs to close once more.

His musk remained, the memories of his chocolate skin against her alabaster cause her to smirk. She had no reason to ever doubt his motives. Everyone seemed to question each decision they made since the announcement that the Cylons looked human now. She never did. If the Cylons had been lying dormant from under them for so long, they would have been able to completely wipe them out at the time. The Cylons were killing machines, she knew that, but when she saw one they captured, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman-looking machine.

"Gaia, get up." A deep raspy voice called to her.

Opening her eyes quickly, she realized it was Admiral Adama. "Sir?" Scrambling out of her bunk, she snaps her hand to position above her brow, saluting the man.

Looking her up and down, he raised an eyebrow, "Throw on some clothes. I need you to get to Cottle on my ship for some tests. I'll be waiting on deck. You can ride over with me."

"Sir, may I ask what this is regarding?" She swallowed, her nakedness causing her to feel vulnerable, but her brazenness never wavered.

"I'll tell you about it in the Raptor." He nodded, "Bring a bag. Don't know how long he'll need you for." With that, Bill Adama slipped through the hatch.

Erica Tejera was stationed to Celestra. It was a tourist ship with FTL technology. Though their ranks were spread thin, some military were stationed on civilian ships as well, in case of Cylon breach; Understandable. It was a middle ground Adama allowed himself with Roslin in order to protect more of the human race and that was no secret to anyone throughout the fleet.

Quickly pulling on her black uniform, Gaia rushed to the awaiting Raptor, seeing the Admiral would be piloting. She couldn't help but smirk, "Thanks for waiting, Sir."

"You were the reason for this trip. I wasn't exactly going to leave you and risk you not getting to my ship." His voice of gravel voice could be felt in the middle of her chest, he started the small transport craft and easily maneuvered it through the slip spaces into the open blackness.

"You miss flying, Sir? Didn't you pilot a Viper back in the day?"

"Sometimes. Mostly when the Cylons are on our heels, I want to get out there." She couldn't believe he was being so open with her. So natural. It was as if his rank was gone and replaced with an ease.

She nodded to him, smiling, "Am I being reassigned, Sir? May I ask the reason for my meeting with your chief medical official?"

His eyes never left the stars as he slowly made his way back to Galactica. His pause was long and she thought maybe he didn't hear her or possibly, opening her mouth to repeat herself, he started. "I think I may have found some of your family on a ship of mine." It was simple, to the point.

She swallowed, staring at him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"My…" She shook her head, swallowing before she spoke, "My mother died in a car accident when I was nine and my father died a year before the attacks of Leukemia."

"Gaia."

"Sir, it is impossible that you would find them."

He landed the craft with a soft thud, "You know you were adopted. What reasons have you to doubt me?"

"I have none, Sir, that isn't what I-"

"What would it hurt to find out you have family in times like these when family is a something seldom seen on ships like this? Or in the fleet as a whole?"

Gaia shook her head slowly, "Nothing, Sir." Her voice was hushed and she stood after him, looking to the people of the ship hanger as she stepped off. It never dawned on her that maybe her biological parents may still be alive.

"Might actually do some good." He nodded, "Follow me." Leading her to the Sick Bay of the ship, he nodded to Cottle who was waiting in an empty patient bay for her.

"I'll be damned." The man with the white hair gruffly spoke from the corner of his mouth, the other corner securing a hand rolled cigarette. She was even sure he smiled.

"Thanks for doing this so quickly. I'd like to give her something to keep her going." Adama nodded to him, folding his hands together behind his back. His blue suit seemed the same shade as his eyes under this light, she noticed.

"Could someone please tell me-" Tejera shook her head, gripping the black sack of clothing at her shoulder still.

"Sit on the bed. Let me draw blood from you." Cottle pointed to the sheet covered gurney behind the young marine. He shook his head, and she was sure she saw him smirk.

"Of course, Sir." She let the bag slip from her shoulder, letting it thud against the metal floor of the room. She easily hopped onto the rolling bed, trying to roll her sleeve up.

"It's easier if you just take that off."

"Let's hope she wore her tanks." Adama smirked, "Found her nude in bed."

"Sir, speaking of that, I want to apologize-" Her nimble fingers slowly unbuttoning the cloth of her duty blacks as she blushed, "I wasn't-"

Putting his hand up, Adama shook his head, "Don't worry about it, Gaia. You weren't exactly expecting me."

"My boyfriend works in the infirmary on Celestra. He bunks with me." She removed the jacket-like top, offering her muscular arm to the older man before her.

Cottle raises an eyebrow, "Mind if I ask who?" He jabbed the large needle into her arm, taking more than an ample amount of crimson liquid from her arm.

"Simon Jonesn." She smiled, her golden honey eyes glistening.

"Can't say I know him. Might just be I can't remember him though." He shook his head.

"Sounds Tauron." Adama nodded, "He from there?"

"Oh, I don't know, Sir." Tejera shook her head, "He doesn't speak much of his family before the attacks. Easier to deal with, I think."

The tan man watched her, smirking. He could see her origins straight through the eyes she shared with her mother, down to the jaw, and the hair color she shared with the woman as well. There was no denying where she came from. "What colony you from again?"

"Canceron. I was born in Caprica, that's where my parents adopted me from." She watched between them, trying to study as the doctor squirted her blood into several dishes and slides to study.

"You know anything about your biological mother?"

"I know she was young. Um… Smart. She gave me up because she wouldn't have been able to raise me to the best of her abilities. If I had stayed with her, she wouldn't have been able to have the best of her young adult years and I wouldn't have had the things I needed in life either." She shrugged, "I always wanted to see what she did with her life. Hopefully she was able to further her education and do all the things she aspired to do."

"I'm going to get these started." Cottle nodded, glancing to the young woman, "Put your shirt back on. I'll just be a few minutes." He walked off through the clear curtain.

Adama nodded, taking a seat in a chair not far from her, "What about the people that raised you?"

She shrugged, "My mother was beautiful. Older. Wasn't able to have children of her own. University professor, she had done it for years even before she picked me up. My father wasn't as old as my mother, but easily the smartest man I've ever known. He was an architect. He built several of the buildings for Hades University on Canceron. Incredible structures." Erica Tejera shook her head, thinking back to when her father walked her through the place, "He wasn't thrilled when I told him what I wanted to do, but he was my biggest supporter."

"They sound like good people."

"They were, Sir." She nodded, "It was always painfully obvious as I was growing up that they weren't my biological parents and I was teased for it all the time." She smirked, laughing to herself.

"How so?"

"They were both very dark skinned and I was the most pale child you could ever meet…still am." Tejera grinned, "They say girls always go for men who are like their fathers, it would make sense that I go for Simon. He's almost the same skin shade as my father. Just as loving."

Her smile, he thought, "Sounds very nice."

"If I'm here overnight, think there'd be a way to get a message to him about where I am? Maybe call or something?"

"We can figure something out."

She sat there, idly swinging her legs, "Sir, may I be blunt?" When he nodded, she continued, "I've heard you can be a bit of a hard ass at times. Why are you being so nice to me? Is it because of who I may or may not be related to?"

She has her fearlessness, he thought. He smirked, then nodded again, "Has something to do with that, yes."

"Is it my mother?"

He paused before nodding once more, "Yes."

She leaned her head back, licking her lips before looking at him once more, "Do I look like her?"

Chuckling a little to himself, "Very much so."

"What if this comes back saying that I'm not who you think I am and this is all just one big…misunderstanding?"

"Then we cut our losses and that's that. You go back to your post on Celestra and she doesn't need to know that I brought you here to do all this."

"It's been years…I even lived on New Caprica…" Shaking her head, Tejera continued, "Why now?"

"Honestly," He swallowed, leaning forward, the light above them caught the thin silver frame of his glasses, causing them to twinkle, "She's given up the will to live. I want her to have something to live for. If she knows we found you, that you didn't die on Caprica or Canceron, that you're alive and healthy…She'll live for that."

"Is it someone close to you?"

"I guess you can say that."

"Girlfriend?"

"Gaia," He shrugged, "We're just close."

"If I asked her your name, would you tell me it?" Erica Tejera tilted her head to the side. Just like her, he thought.

"Yes." Bill Adama cleared his throat before looking the young woman in the eye, "President Laura Roslin."


	2. Chapter 2

Tejera stared at her superior before her, shock spreading across her face, "Sir-"

"No, don't give yourself time to think about it right now." Adama shook his head, "Tell me how you got your call sign."

"Excuse me…Sir, that's…You're telling me that the President of the Colonies, herself, may be my mother. That isn't small talk. That's insanity." She shook her head.

"Only because you're thinking too much about it." He nodded, "Your callsign?" Bill Adama's face was that of stone, showing little to no emotion about the news he had told her only a moment ago.

Swallowing, she folded her arms when she felt her hands begin to shake, "I had the fastest time during training. The…that they'd ever seen. They said it was something that they thought was only seen in myths. I obtained the name of the greatest myth they could think of at the time. Gaia is the mother of Earth." She shrugged, "Sorry, that…that makes this whole thing seem ridiculous. This whole journey…"

"No, it's very surprising." Adama offered her a closed mouth smile, "What made you want to be a marine?"

"Canceron was never exactly the safest place. The beaches and mountains were beautiful. The government kept them up because that's what the public was there to see. That's how they made their money. However, the other parts, the parts tourists didn't care about? It was like living in a slum. Crime riddled the streets, drugs being handed over on any corner. The only way people got out was the military or prison…sometimes school."

"You said your mother was a professor?"

She nods, "At Caprica University."

"And you were in an orphanage…or what was the-"

"I don't know. She never said and I was always…too intimidated to ask my father after she died. To be honest, I never really wanted to know. I never really cared."

He nodded, "Well, now is the time to start caring."

Cottle leaned out of his office door, looking to the pair before calling, "Admiral."

Bill picked his head up and stood, "Excuse me." He glances to the young woman before walking to the man, "Is she?"

"of course she is. That wasn't the reason I called you in here. There's something damned odd on her blood work." He snuffed out his cigarette in a tin ashtray, glancing up to the man, "If you remember, before Hera Agathon was born, her blood was drawn and it saved the President's life."

"Of course I do." He looks to the monitor above his glasses, "What am I looking at here?"

"That young woman in there has no blood type. Only way we were able to distinguish maternal traits were through other factors in her blood." He shakes his head.

"Are you telling me she's part Cylon?" Adama feels himself stand straighter, as if being told he was betrayed.

"I'm not telling you anything." Cottle gruffed, lighting another cigarette, "I'm telling you that besides brightening the President's day, she may just save her life and because of the like antibodies, it may adhere better to Roslin's system. Better than Hera Agathon's ever did."

He caught himself staring at the young woman, "I need to prepare the President for this." Adama began to walk through the door.

"Admiral." Cottle calls him again, pointing to where the President was taking her position on her usual gurney for her treatment, "I'll go and talk to the girl. See if she'll let me give her an exam."

Adama watched as President Roslin smiled to the nurses helping her able to read her lips as she thanked them, "Yeah." He nodded to the doctor, walking out fully and over to the woman.

Laura Roslin grinned to the man through her thin, chapped hips. Her hand was holding up a leather bound book weakly, "I remembered it this time. No need to send an innocent nurse to our quarters in search for it only to yell at them when they aren't able to…like you did last time."

"Mind if we hold off on that?" He watched her. He seemed uneasy, she thought. His brass buttons catching the dimly lit area.

"Something the matter?" Her bald head was wrapped in a violet scarf that he had given her. Leaning her head back, she watched him intensely.

"A few days ago, when we were in bed, you mentioned a kid that you had while you were in college."

She nodded slowly, "I don't understand where you're going with this. I don't know what happened to her after the family left Caprica." It was a sore subject for her. It reminded her of her mother's unwavering support in the face of adversity of her cancer, and how she betrayed that support by never telling her mother of it.

"The family moved to Canceron. The father built buildings for the university there; the mother was a professor there."

It was as if a light bulb went off in her head, glancing around the room, her eyes met his, "You found her? The baby…"

"Well, she isn't a baby anymore, Madam President." Bill smiled slightly, nodding through the pulled translucent curtains, the young woman's body visible, "She's a marine…stationed to Celestra."

"She's here?" Laura swallowed, gripping her IV pole as she tried to stand.

Moving to her side, he helped her, "She doesn't know that you are absolutely-"

"I must see her, Admiral." She forbade her tears from springing to her eyes, "What did they name her?" Her voice was shaky, and uneven. Full of emotion, the same raw emotion that was getting her weak body to eagerly rise from the bed.

"Absolutely, Madam President." He attempted to help her walk, but was quickly met with a shake of the head, "Her name is Erica…Erica Tejera."

"That was my-" She stopped herself, swallowing, "Okay." Laura Roslin slowly made her way over to the young woman's cubicle, seeing Cottle give her a physical, if for no reason but to pass the time, she thought. The President of the Colonies stared at the young woman before her, noticing features that she saw in herself when looking into a mirror, "Excuse me, Doctor Cottle."

"You're supposed to be lying down, young lady." Cottle shook his head.

"I…I know."

"Then why are you up and about?" A tuft of smoke escaped his lips as he listened to the young woman's heart.

"I needed to-" Laura swallowed when the young woman's eyes opened, looking straight at her.

"Madam President." Erica quickly scrambled from the gurney, placing a stiff hand above her brow.

"Relax, Lieutenant Tejera." She bit her lip, "You know who I am?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Girl's shaking like a leaf. Sit, Lieutenant." Cottle ordered, continuing his exam when the younger woman obeyed, "And Ms. Roslin, you'd better sit too." He motions to the chair in the area with a nod of his head.

Laura nodded, taking a seat, "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"I'm sorry you had to, Madam President." Gaia mumbled, knowing the woman could hear her, "I don't know what the Admiral was trying to do, but I already have parents. They're dead, just like everyone else."

"I'd like…I'd like to learn more about you." Letting go of the intravenous pole, she wringed her hands together, "I'd like to hear about you."

"You gave me up. You lost that privilege." Her voice wasn't cold, "I don't need friends right now, ma'am."

"Everyone needs friends." Laura watched her.

"I have a life on my ship. I have a boyfriend who wants to marry me. I have a locker and squad mates…"

"I'm not telling you to rid yourself of them." The older woman shook her head, a frightened expression seemed to grace her face.

"Then what is this? Admiral Adama's lame attempt at impressing you, I guess."

"Quiet yourself. She's still the President." Cottle growled, "She obviously loved you enough to give you to parents who could care for you."

"It's okay, Doctor." Laura shook her head, "I just want to know you."

"I have to get back to-"

Bill couldn't take anymore, he could not bare hearing the young woman become angrier and angrier at each passing moment, "Lieutenant Tejera, you've been reassigned. Effective immediately." He barked before walking away from them.

Gaia could feel her eyes warm as an all too familiar wetness returned to them, "Happy now? You get your wish. Order me to talk."

"I said watch it." Cottle glared at her, "You're the epitome of health. I'll be in my office. Don't make me come out." He turned to walk back, gently touching Laura on the shoulder as he passed her.

Erica bit the inside of her cheek, finally looking at the woman. The once strong, beautiful form had been reduced to this pale, sticklike figure before her, "I was happy not knowing of you."

"I'm aware." Laura nodded.

The public didn't know this side of this powerful woman, she thought. Adama didn't want them knowing this part of her, she knew. "You don't have much longer…do you…" It wasn't exactly a question because she already knew the answer. The answer was obvious.

The older woman offered her a soft smile, shaking her head, "Which is why I want to know you...and maybe, you'll want to know about me too before this gets worse."

"I…I watched my father go through it." Tejera's voice was small.

"And I watched my mother go through it. I just hope the same doesn't befall you." She glances around, "When I finish this, would you care to accompany me to my quarters?"

"Haven't you been living with the Admiral?"

Laura smirked, "Yes. It's easier that way. We've…it was the next step in our…" Unable to find the words, she looked up to the clear bag at the top of the pole, "It was easier instead of traveling back and forth on a raptor each time. Saves fuel for more important things with the ships and saves time."

"Everyone deserves happiness, ma'am. You shouldn't want to hide it." Erica Tejera, folds her arms over her chest, "If you're my mother, who was my father?"

"Your father was a piano player that played in a pub that was on campus. That man could play anything." She grinned, "Have you any musical ability?"

"I can play piano." She smirked slightly, "You loved him?"

"It was a whirlwind, I suppose. I loved him very much. We…were very close."

"Then what happened? Why did you not want to be with him any longer?" Erica tilted her head to the side, content for the moment.

"That wasn't what happened." Laura shook her head, "I discovered my pregnancy and I was thrilled. I went in to tell him about it and…he had left. No warning. No nothing. Just up and went. I was devastated."

"Is that why you gave me away?"

"Part of it." She leaned forward slightly, "I knew I wouldn't be able to tend to you alone and being that I had a few more years to go if I wanted to be a teacher, I knew the best thing would be to give you to someone I knew could care for you."

Tejera nodded, watching the other woman intently and it dawns on her, "You gave me to your professor."

"Yes, she was." Laura smiled, amused by the quickness of the girl's detective skills, "She and her husband were attempting to adopt and they were continually shot down. She was a few years older than what the agencies allowed at the time. I thought it was ridiculous. She was loving and smart, any child would have been lucky to have her as a mother."

"I was." She smirked softly.

"If the adoption was a straight one, no agencies, just signing over of rights…she couldn't be declined." Roslin adjusted the scarf that was resting against her head, "I knew I could guarantee your safety and your…wellbeing, with her and her husband. I knew you would be happy and taken care of."

"Did you ever second guess yourself? Did you ever want to take me back?" Erica slowly climbed from the gurney when the nurse arrives to remove the tubing from the President's arm. She flings her large pack back onto her shoulder.

"Every day of my life." Roslin nodded, holding her arm out for the nurse to finish, "Thank you." She smiles as they walk off.

Gaia moved to her side, offering her a hand, "Need help? I know those things make you weak as hell."

Laura was surprised the young woman was letting her touch her. She wanted nothing more than to hold her closely and make her believe that she had done all she could to make her happy in her life. In the back of her mind she knew that she had to allow the young woman to make the effort. Taking her hand, she slowly raised from the seat, holding onto the young woman's arm. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Please, call me Erica." Gaia smiled to her, holding her up. Yes, it was complicated, she knew that. However, she remembered how painful it was for her father and he had the help of his friends and family. The President, her biological mother, was doing this all alone, essentially. She needed someone. She needed her.

Cottle watched as the women walked off, smirking. He'd begin treatment soon to eradicate the President's cancer, but what would be the best way to break news like that. It was bigger than a daughter once thought to be dead. It was bigger than most anything she had heard. Her daughter was part Cylon.


	3. Chapter 3

All the corridors all looked alike and it Gaia was surprised the woman holding onto her arm could tell the difference between any of them. The lights gave an odd hue to the halls and she caught sight of the photographs on the walls. They seemed to be seeping throughout more and more of the ship. Never had she seen anything like it before.

Noticing where the girl was looking, Laura smiled softly, "Impressive, isn't it? I even noticed some of the Cylons hanging pictures of their own…the Cylons that are with us, obviously."

"This ship is more peaceful than I expected." Gaia didn't notice the people who were stopping in their tracks to marvel over how much the young woman looked like the President.

"You expected chaos?" Bringing her fist up to her mouth, Laura coughed into it, "I have to take a moment, if you don't mind."

She shook her head, "Of course. Are you okay?" Gaia didn't care about her wellbeing because this was her biological mother. She didn't care for her because she was the President of the Colonies of Kobol. She cared because she remembered how it was for her father and that this woman was alone, unlike her father. No one deserved that. Even if the Admiral was there for her, she was still alone mostly.

"Fine. I'm fine." Laura gently patted her on the arm, "Don't worry." Gaia could see how chapped her lips were, how her eyes had lost the twinkle she remembered seeing in pictures of newsletters spread throughout the fleet. "You mentioned something about a boyfriend. Tell me about him?"

"I met him on New Caprica. He was on the death list with me. The Cylons tortured him, burned his face terribly." The younger woman shook her head, "I watched as they set him on fire. Some were shot, some were hurt in other ways."

"I was on that list too." She offered her a grin, "My reason for appearing on it is obvious, how did you get on it?"

"I was smarter than them. I worked with Sam Anders and the Resistance. I joined the police and slowly dismantled it from the inside. This may sound great, but I was caught by one of the Cavil models. It was either sleep with him or go on the list-"

"Very good." Laura chuckled, staring at her. She thought back to the planet, the young woman's face becoming much clearer, "You had short hair then."

"And you had hair." Gaia smirked, "Sorry. That was inappropriate."

"No, that was good." She pointed to the young woman, "What does he look like?" Laura began to walk again.

"He…He's dark skinned, but his face was badly burned while on New Caprica. I saw him on fire. I…I ripped at the Cavil's throat with my nails…no man should have to go through being set on fire while you're alive." The young woman bit her lip, thinking of it as she walked, "The Cavil was dead and I…I guess I saved Simon's life."

"It sounds as if you did." Laura motioned to one of the large hatches, watching as the young woman opened it. She smiled, "Come inside."

"Are you sure? This is the Admiral's quarters. Not many people are allowed in here."

"It's my home too. Come inside." She repeated, touching the walls as she moved. Past his desk and to the living area, "Spacious, isn't it?"

"Very." Gaia pulled the door tightly behind her. She looks at a large folder the man kept up of known Cylons by the living room, the final five added to it. Some were listed as enemy and some were listed as friend. Her mind flashed to her time on New Caprica and where she'd seen some of the people in the pictures before. Not all of them as enemies.

"Erica…" Laura watched as the girl stood there, solid, "Erica, would you like something to drink?"

"Ambrosia…or stronger if you have it." Gaia mumbled, then turned, realizing Laura was going to try to serve her on her own, "Tell me where it is. I'll get it."

"He keeps scotch over there." She pointed, "Glass tumblers should be with it." Laura watched as the young woman retrieved it, and how her hands shook as she poured, causing the glass bottle to clang against the small glasses, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, Madam President. Yes, it's fine." The young woman nodded, carrying the glass to her. She quickly downs it, almost like a shot, "That actually tastes a lot better than Ambrosia."

"Tell me about it." Laura smirked, "So, Simon sounds very nice."

"Do you know if there's any way to contact him? I'd like to see if he'd like to join me here and I'd rather have a secure line." Gaia swallowed.

"Of course. I can arrange that for you." She grinned, "Benefits of being the President."

"Thank you." Erica nodded, moving over and sitting next to the woman on the leather sofa, "I appreciate it."

"I'd give you anything I can. You should know that."

"Daughter or no daughter, you barely even know me."

Laura nodded slowly, "That may be true, however you are the only family left for me in this entire fleet. You're the only one I have. Bill is there for me, of course, but Kara Thrace and Lee Adama…they aren't my children, Erica. You are."

"You don't get to say that." Gaia bites her lip, "I'm sorry, I may sound cold, but you don't get to say that."

"Understood."

"Not to me at least." She looks away, "I cried every night after my mother's car accident. I still carry a canister of her perfume with me…it's a solid perfume, so it keeps the smell. I carry one of my father's flannel shirts with me. It's red and black, with some yellow mixed in. I held his hand as he died. I had parents…amazing parents. So no, Madam President, you don't get to call me your daughter. Not when you willingly gave someone else that right."

"Okay." Laura whispered.

Erica could see how much her statements hurt the woman, but she knew she couldn't apologize for telling the truth. "Tell me about you…the things that aren't in the text books."

"Such as?"

"I don't know. What were you like when you were my age?"

"I…" She quickly wiped a stray tear before continuing, "I was rather bookish. I loved to read. I loved art. I'd spend entire days in the museum in Caprica City just staring at these beautiful paintings. I did watercolors."

"Do you still?"

"There isn't exactly an abundance of paint around." Laura shook her head.

"You're the President. I hear you can get almost whatever you want if you tell people that you want it." Erica shook her head, then folded her arms, "I think I should go to Celestra to get more of my things."

"I can have someone take you." She swallowed, "Tomorrow, though. Is that okay?"

"Yeah." Gaia whispered, "Where are the marine bunks or…where am I supposed to stay on this ship? Admiral Adama never told me… never assigned me to a particular place."

Laura motioned to a bed on the other side of the room, "If you don't mind." She wanted to have the girl close. She needed to have her close. Giving her up all those years ago was one of the biggest mistakes of her life and though she wasn't going to force her, she wanted to have this girl in her life in some capacity. Even if it meant the girl was going to hate her.

"That's…it's fine." She nodded, walking over and placing her pack onto the bed.

"I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I…" It wasn't a question, it was something Laura noticed, "I don't mean to."

"I know." Erica swallowed, turning and looking at the woman, earnestly, "I don't want it to sound like I'm ungrateful for the things you sacrificed when you gave me up. I probably wouldn't be here today if you hadn't. I would have led a different life and been interested in different things. So…thank you."

"I would have sacrificed everything if it meant you were happy and taken care of." She slid her hand along the edge of her scarf, the part that made contact with her forehead, removing it.

Gaia gasped softly turning quickly as to not stare. She remembered all the photographs she's seen of this woman, all the times she worked with this woman on New Caprica, all the propaganda art with her image hung through the halls of the ships. She looked like a different person and it wasn't the one she remembered voting for.

Laura knew what she heard it and did her best not to flinch. It hurt. Of course it hurt. There were many people who have never seen her without the scarf or wig and there probably never would be. She was most vulnerable this way and she knew it. Though she extruded confidence and strength, this disease had taken its toll over it. It had chewed her up and spit her out not once, but twice now. This time, she wouldn't be so lucky and she knew it.

"I'm…" The young woman swallowed, "My father never lost his hair during the Leukemia. He knew he had it and decided not to seek treatment…it was too far gone and probably would have only done more harm than good."

Roslin smirked a little, nodding slowly, "I got rid of all the pills. Bill asked that I continue with the Dioloxin…if it means spending an extra day with him, then so be it." She placed the back of her hand over her mouth, yawning into it.

"Yeah, but now it isn't just spending an extra day with him anymore. You get to spend an extra day with me too." Gaia knew she was sending the ill woman mixed signals. She knew she was probably confusing the hell out of her, "I think I'm…We can do this…I can do this for…" She pushed a stray hair from her eyes, "For as long as you want me to. Though I may not consider you my mother, you gave birth to me and the least I can do is to be here for you in your time of need."

Laura swallowed, feeling the need to cry. She attempted to stop herself, but instead let her face clench and dears drip from the corners of her eyes, "I'm sorry…the…the Dioloxin makes me much more emotional than I once was."

It worried Gaia. The least she could do was spend time with the President. Whatever remaining time the President had. She bit her lip, seeing her begin to sob. She hated seeing anyone cry. It was a weak spot for her. Seeing her bald, biological mother before her just made it even worse. She looked to this woman as a hero before she actually knew who she was, all of a few hours ago.

"I really am sorry about this, Erica."

"It's fine. You can't help it." Gaia bit her lip, finally stepping over to the older woman. She handed her a cloth napkin from her pocket, "Would it be better if I made you tea or something? Do you still take Chamala? It can be very bitter."

"I've taken it for years. It's terrible on its own." Laura smirked, wiping her wet cheeks, "How did you know?"

"I've tried it a couple times. Surprisingly, it helps me get to sleep."

"Me too." She sniffled her nose, now red from crying, "Strange dreams though."

"A side effect I'm willing to cope with." Gaia nodded, going to the kitchen area where at least the Admiral could boil a pot of water.

Laura watched her intently; glad the young woman was planning on giving her last days something to be worthwhile. She wished she could do everything in her power to stay alive longer, knowing that had slim to no chance of happening. Laura Roslin was glad to have right now.

The night came quickly for the both of them settling into their bunks and it was a bit odd with the Admiral cuddling up to the President, but who really cared anymore at that point. Everyone needed love. Gaia closed her eyes, a dream from the Chamala tea quickly took over.

_Her wrists tied together with a piece of industrial plastic in front of her. She glances over, seeing some other high profile targets. Former President Roslin, Vice President Zarek, just to name a few…she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. Not many people did. She stood there, glancing over as she hears a young man pleading with a One, "Please, please don't do this. I'll tell you what you-" The One flicked a match onto the other man's gasoline soaked clothing, laughing to himself as the dark young man quickly began to burn alive._

"_Roll! Get down on the ground and roll around." Gaia barked to the young man, she quickly goes after the One model, letting her longish nails sink into his throat and pull at his skin and veins. It looked like something out of a movie or video game. She had nothing for distain for this man and his Cylon brethren and allowed her rage to take over as she murdered him. She watched as he died slowly before moving to the already badly burned young man. "We're going to get you help." She kneels next to him, watching as metal Cylon models appear at the top of the hill, flipping their wrists into guns, "Everyone, get down!" She yelled to the people, lying on top of the man to protect him. _

_Hearing the gunfire from the Resistance, she smirked, "We're getting you out of here. What's your name?"_

"_Simon…" The dark skinned man cried out, "Frak, it hurts so bad." The skin of his face bubbled up._

"_Oh gods." Gaia bit her lip, taking hold of his hand._

_"Don't let me die…"_

"_I don't plan on it." She sighed, looking him over, "I'm going to get you to the med tent. You're going to be okay."_

"_Don't leave me." She could tell the man was terrified. Possibly even crying, but his face looked so bad, she just couldn't tell. "Please, don't leave me alone." He pled._

_Gaia shook her head, "Never. I will never leave you."_

Laura watched as the young woman squirmed in her sleep. Though she was exhausted, she couldn't help but admire the young woman's strength. Her story mirrored her own and she thought it was a message from the gods, whatever ones were left in the universe. Placing her hand on the girl's shoulder, she gently shook her, "Erica…Erica, you're having a bad dream. Wake up."

Gaia's eyelids bolted open, catching sight of the bald President in front of her, she began to pull away from her and sit up, "Did I…did I wake you?"

"No, you didn't. You just appeared to be having a rough time sleeping. I didn't…" She paused, sitting on the cot next to the young woman, "It's a new ship for you. New ships always caused me to have bad dreams and with the Chamala tea on top of it…"

"Your visions…Were they ever wrong?" The young woman pulled her knees to her chest, not appearing as a small child, but certainly unsure of herself.

"Never."

"Okay." She ran her nails through her hair and sat there for a moment in silence as the other woman watched her, "Don't forget that shuttle for me in the morning."

"I won't…as long as you promise to come back." Laura smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

"If I wanted to run away, I'd have done it before you saw me in Sick Bay." Gaia reciprocated the same look her biological mother was giving her. She cleared her throat, "I'm going to try to get some sleep…again."

"If you need me, I'm…" Roslin paused, motioning to the bunk where the Admiral was sleeping as well, snoring softly, "He's sound asleep, but I'm right over there."

"I doubt I will, but thanks." She watched as the woman walked away before slowly lying back down once more, this time facing the wall. Gaia stared at the wood accents of the room before falling asleep once more.


	4. Chapter 4

She awoke early when the President told her there would be a Raptor waiting on deck for her whenever she was ready to go. Opting to wear a simple gray sweat suit with the logos of the Battlestar Galactica printed onto them, she used her newly, rediscovered similarity to President Roslin to get people to do her bidding. A young pilot took her over to the Celestra, saying he'd remain on deck to take her back when she was ready.

Gaia stood in the doorway of the small Sick Bay, her arms folded in frustration almost.

Simon looked over to her and gave her a smile as he walked to her, "Hey. Find out what Adama needed you for?" He chuckled at her attire, "New digs?"

She nodded, "There's more important things than that though." She looked around, "There's too many ears here. You free?"

"I can be." He smiled to her, noticing her slight standoffishness with him. When she grasped his hand and pulled him into a sealed room, Simon began to worry, "What's going on?"

Gaia moved away from him, looking like a tiger pent up in a cage and ready to pounce, "Why the frak didn't you tell me you were a Cylon?"

"What makes you think I'm a Cylon?"

"I remember, Simon. I remember being on that hill before the metal frakkers opened fire. I remember your face before it was burned. I remember it all." She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to beat him senseless.

Simon slowly folded his arms, the silence of the room enclosing on them, "Your mother give you some of her Chamala?"

A smirk creeps across Gaia's face, "You knew all along…"

"Of course, how could I not?"

"Him setting you on fire was a ploy to get my attention. To get me interested in you and want to be with you." It wasn't a question, she knew what it was. It was obvious what it was, "And you couldn't even be bothered to tell me who my mother was…Why not, Simon?" She barked at him.

"Because I fell in love with you too." The Four model nodded, not backing down in the least bit, "I fell in love with you so deeply, I chose to ignore my programming…ignore my orders and live here with you. I worried every day that I'd be found out."

"You're considered an enemy model."

"That might be so, but then so is Boomer and no one can tell her apart from the other Eights. None of you would know if she was on your ship right now." Simon shook his head, "I chose my side. My side is you, Erica."

She softened a bit, her posture more relaxed, "Why didn't you tell me about Laura Roslin?"

He sighed, "You never said anything about wanting to know. I didn't think it was important to you."

Gaia nodded slowly, "I've decided to stay on Galactica, Simon. I want you to come with me."

"Are you sure?"

Stepping toward him, she places a hand against his cheek, pulling him down gently to place a tender kiss upon his lips. "They don't need to know your model. If it isn't important for you, then it isn't for me either."

Simon gave her a closed mouth smile, "I'll pack my bags."

"I have to be close to her right now. You must understand why I must be there right now." Gaia nodded, watching him.

"Of course."

"It has nothing to do with you. She's…She isn't going to last very much longer in this life and I must know all I can about this woman who birthed me before she crosses the streams of Elysium." She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear that was hanging in her face, "Can you be relocated?"

"They'll survive without me." He wrapped his arms around her waist. This was all happening exactly how he wanted it to. However, would he be able to pull through on what he knew he had to do?

It didn't take very long for the couple to pack their remaining belongings and quickly head to the awaiting Raptor. The door slowly opened after landing on Galactica's hanger deck. It caused Simon to grow more and wearier of his surroundings. He lifted one of the boxes, following his fiancé. This would be easier than he thought before.

"I'm in the Admiral's quarters right now. It's where Laura Roslin has been staying and she wants me as close as possible for right now." Gaia's feelings for the woman shifted by the hour. It was hard for her to understand that she was given up out of love instead of selfishness. All the halls looked the same, but something was familiar about them to her.

Simon glanced to each wall, noticing photographs of his Cylon brothers and sisters mixed within them. He attempted to stay as close to the woman as possible.

Sharon 'Athena' Agathon could not believe her eyes. Did this Four model really think he was going to get away with pulling the wool over the eyes of the entire fleet? Taking her blaster from the holster, she waited until they entered an empty hallway before opening fire on the man. She glared. "Traitor." She yelled at the young woman.

"What did you do?" Gaia turned, dropping the box to the floor. "Oh my gods, what did you do?" Her entire body trembled as she kneeled next to his body, pulling it into her arms, "Simon…"

"What did I do? You weren't ten feet from the Admiral's quarters. You intentionally smuggled an enemy model Cylon into the fleet." She held her blaster on the young woman.

Bill Adama could hear the commotion clearly, "This true?"

"Please…please stay with me." She wept. Gaia loved this man with her entire heart, "He changed…" Her voice was almost unintelligible with emotion, "He was like you. You changed. He changed and…"

He swallowed, hating what he had to do, "You had prior knowledge of this model's history with this fleet and still decided to smuggle him onto my ship? I'm sorry to have to do this. Erica Tejera, you're under arrest for treason." Bill nodded to the marines that were stationed to follow him.

"Just…just, give me a minute. Let me have this…He's dying…" Gaia pled to him.

"I need to die, baby." Simon whispered, smirking to her.

"You changed. We were going to be happy."

"No, loving you just helped me get in. Loving you was the best-" He blinked slowly, his life visually slipping from him, "I love you, Erica."

"I love you too." Gaia stroked his hair gently, placing him onto the floor once he breathed no more. She stood slowly, holding her wrists out. Maybe jail was the best thing right now, "Those are my things from Celestra. Do what you want with them." She didn't care anymore. She was in pain and though that man's model may have been an enemy of the fleet, she loved him with her entire heart, "Will he be resurrected?"

Athena continues to glare, "No, not since we blew the hub sky high."

She cried a little harder, letting them arrest her. There was no other way. The sight of her crying image, including blood soaked clothing struck a nerve with others in the fleet.

He followed her to the Brig, watching as she dropped to her knees in the cell when they latched the door closed. "Why, Gaia?"

"He was different." The young woman whispered, appearing as a different person as she remained there, blood soaked clearly through her body.

"They're all the same."

"What about Athena? She is the same model as the one who shot you in the chest all those years ago. I remember that. You must as well. We all feared that we'd never make it to Earth." Gaia's tone was even, almost calculated. Her knuckles rested next to her legs on the medal floor, the energy drained from her, replaced with deep sorrow. "He was all I had."

Bill studied the young woman, this was pointless. He didn't believe she was helping them enemy, but public opinion was another matter. And what if she was? What if she was feeding them information on the fleet's position? He couldn't let his conscious nor his feelings for the young woman get the best of him. "I'll have Cottle bring you something..."

"Tell him I want whatever Simon has. Tell him I want death." She mumbled.

Sighing as he exited, Bill took a deep breath, knowing he'd have to bare the full brunt of anger that was going to be Laura Roslin once she caught wind of what was happening. Once he returned to his quarters, he rang up the older man and informed him of the situation.

Sherman Cottle looked through the window of his office as it gave full sight of the Sick Bay. He caught sight of Laura Roslin in her usual place, receiving Diloxin treatment. Internally, he mumbled, "She doesn't know." Leaving his office, Cottle made an almost beeline to the other woman, "Madam President."

"Today is a good day, Doctor Cottle." Laura grinned to him, "My daughter agreed to stay on board Galactic last night. Can you believe that? She went over to the Celestra this morning to obtain the remaining of her belongings. I must look into finding a cabin for her-"

"You don't need to worry about that now. I just got off the phone with Admiral Adama. Gaia is in the Brig." Cottle sighed.

The smile quickly faded from the other woman's face, "What happened?"

"Apparently, she smuggled an enemy model Cylon on board from another ship. Athena gunned him down before he could reach the Admiral's quarters. He said it would have slipped right by him because of a badly burned face." He shook his head, watching the woman, "Now, knowing you, you'll want to rush down there. However, I beg of you to wait until this treatment is over. I'll help you down there."

Laura glanced to the ceiling, willing herself not to tear up, "What are her charges?"

"Treason. Canoodling with the enemy." Cottle folds his arms, "Madam President, I'm telling you all of this right now because the punishment for treason is death here, as you may know."

"No. I won't let him-"

"I may know a way to get her out or for her to earn the forgiveness of the others."

"And that is?" Roslin was doing everything in her power not to rip the lines from her arms.

"Madam President, the day the Admiral brought her in, I gave her a full work up. That work up included tests on her blood to determine, without a doubt, that she was your actual daughter." He pulled over a chair, sitting next to the bed, "Her blood results were damned odd, almost looking like Hera Agathon's did."

She listened to him closely, her gaze slowly turned toward him, "Are you telling me-"

"Erica Tejera's father was a Cylon."

"That can't be. Hera Agathon is-"

"Madam President, let me finish." Cottle nodded, "Because of this, her blood exhibits healing qualities to it. She has no blood type, ma'am."

"Are you saying she can heal the cancer like Hera Agathon once did?" Roslin reached a hand up, adjusting the wig she decided to wear that morning.

"Ma'am, I'm saying not only can she heal it, but I don't think it will return like this one did."

"I can't use her like that. I can't make her think I am."

Cottle shook his head, "I don't think it's going to matter one bit when she realizes it's either helping you or her own demise."

Laura nodded, then paused, looking to him once more, "Wait, you said the Cylon had a burned face?"

He returned the nod, "Admiral said he wouldn't have recognized him if it weren't for Athena."

"I think it was her boyfriend." She sighed, "Damn."

"Just finish this treatment, ma'am. He isn't going to kill her, I don't believe. The people will call for it once news spreads, but he won't do it to you."

"I won't have my only daughter behind bars for the rest of her life here." Laura's voice was quiet, almost small.

"You've been there plenty of times." Cottle stood, smirking to her, "Must be a thing the Roslin women enjoy doing…spending time in the Brig."

Laura reciprocated the smirk, "Why did the Admiral call you again?"

"To have her sedated. Apparently she's distraught out of her mind and with you telling me the Cylon was probably her boyfriend, I can see why." He shook his head, "Don't get too angry with the Admiral. He was not only protecting the fleet, but protecting her in case others found out. Can't blame him for that."

"No, but I can be angry with him for not coming straight to me and informing me." She glanced up to the bag of medicine.

"Let me go and get things together. You should be finished in about fifteen." Cottle nodded, "While there, I'll take another sample of her blood just to be sure. The Admiral will let her go if it means saving you."

"Let's hope. I can't have her flying out of an Airlock." Laura whispered, mostly to herself, "If you slip it to a few nurses, it will garner public opinion of Erica and force people to-"

"I've got it covered." He smirked to her and walked away. Pulling together his supplies, he decided to do this on his own as opposed to sending Ishay or one of the other nurses. Cottle held his arm out, letting Roslin hold onto them as they made their way to the Brig.


	5. Chapter 5

Marines stationed outside the Brig opened the hatch door for the President and Doctor Cottle, the old man quickly stepped over the lip, helping the sickly woman over as well. He turned, taking in the sight of the once sarcastic and charming woman in. He had just seen her the day before and it was like a shell of who she seemed to be.

Laura Roslin stopped instantly, tears coming to her eyes, but she swallowed them back, bringing a knuckle to rest on her upper lip in an attempt to keep her from breaking down with all of the emotion that was coursing through her body. "Has anyone been sent for a change of clothing?" She asked the guard stationed inside the room, sitting at his desk.

The young man glanced to her, having stood at attention when she entered the room. "No, ma'am. Admiral Adama said not to engage with the prisoner and to await further instruction-"

Cottle shook his head slowly, "I don't think you'd get much of a rise out of her anyway. Open the cell."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm unable to-"

"That's an order." Laura's hands shook with emotion and she lowered them to her hips.

Gaia remained in the same position, almost unable to move. Resting on her knees with her face tilted toward the ceiling, her palms facing upwards and resting on the metal floor. Blood stained her Battlestar issued sweat suit as well as the skin of her hands and portions of her face. She almost looked as if she was deep in prayer.

"Yes, Madam President." The young Marine opened the door and nodded to them.

"Could you wait outside?" Roslin continued.

"But Admiral Adama-"

"If Admiral Adama returns, he can deal with me. Now, please, outside." Her tone was more forceful. She heard the man stopping his protest and leaving through the hatch. "Doctor Cottle." She nodded toward Gaia.

Cottle knelt next to the young woman, "I'm too old for this shit." He glanced back up to the President, whose sheer adrenalin of wanting to protect her child was keeping the woman upright. "Did you want to have a seat, Ma'am?"

"I'm fine just where I am." Laura kept her hands hanging at her sides.

He nodded, able to see the resemblance now more than ever between the two. Cottle slid the needle tip into her vein, removing several vials of blood before injecting the sedative, "It may take a little time. She's…"

"I know." Her answer was simple and whispered, "Could you let the marines outside the hatch know that I wish to be alone with the prisoner and not to enter until I say so?"

"I'm not sure they'll like that with an open cell."

"I'll close it behind me."

"Ma'am-"

"Doctor, please." She knew Bill would come back down if he got wind of her being there. Laura knew she wouldn't be stuck inside for the night.

Cottle nodded. He waited for her to walk inside the cell more before moving to the other side and closing the door behind her. "I'll work on-"

"Thank you, Doctor." Roslin interrupted him, something she rarely ever did, but Gaia's safety was what was most important at that time, "Please, work as fast as possible."

Cottle knew how upset she was, he'd seen it before. He slipped through the hatch, closing it behind them. He tells the marines to check on her if she isn't out in an hour.

Laura Roslin slowly sank to her knees, wrapping her arms around Gaia, she pulled her closely, nuzzling her face into her hair.

Gaia began to sob once more, "He was different."

"I know. I know he was." She ran her fingers through the girl's hair, kissing her forehead. Laura needed the girl close, and she needed to make her know that she was on her side, "I know you loved him. I could see it in your eyes when you spoke of him. A tear escaped her eye, dripping down her face, and falling onto the young woman's hand.

Erica felt the wetness, noticing it only when a path of the blood that was covering her hands dripped away, and though it took a moment to register that it was not her own, she hadn't been held so protectively in quite a while. Gaia wrapped her arms around this woman who gave her life, letting herself cry against the fabric of her blazer.

Feeling her arms, Laura couldn't hold back any longer. She cried just as much as the other woman and buried her face into her hair. They stayed that way for a while, helping each other calm down. She never wanted to let her go, but knew she was going to need to leave at some point. "We should move to the cot. You're going to be asleep shortly."

Shaking her head furiously, Tejera didn't want to move either, needing this woman.

"I must hold the Admiral just as accountable for this as I do-"

"Don't be angry with him. He was protecting the fleet. He was right to throw me in here." She appeared spent, hopeless almost, "Just…let me die, please."

"I can't do that." Laura swallowed, "I can't, especially with you."

"We all will." Gaia was beginning to fall asleep against Laura, the arms wrapped around the woman slowly began to fall away as she finally succumbed to the sedative the doctor gave her.

Roslin didn't move, holding onto the young woman. She didn't look up with the hatch opened. She knew who it would be.

Bill Adama stared at the heap of women on the floor, nodding to the marine to open the cell, "You shouldn't have come down here."

"She's my daughter."

"And she's now a prisoner."

"She doesn't deserve to be here and you know it, Bill." Laura gently laid the young woman's head on the floor, standing by using the bars of the jail cells as leverage. "She's just another puddle in a rain storm. He played on her emotions, just like most of them did with other humans. You know this, Bill."

"All marine teams were forewarned which Cylon models were trusted and which were not. She deliberately disobeyed orders and who is to say she wasn't working with him by bringing him onto this ship."

"Because you can't choose who to love." Laura slowly stepped through the cell opening, "I'm unable to lift her, Could you please place her on the cot?"

Bill knew how much the situation pained her and he had to do everything in his power to keep her calm and relaxed. It meant having her there with him longer. He crouched down and lifted the girl's body into his arms, so deep asleep that she was a dead weight. He lowered her onto the cot slowly, taking in the curvature of her face and jaw. Just like her mother, he thought. This was a mistake, he knew it deep within him. "I'm protecting her, Laura."

"You have a hell of a way of showing it."

"When word gets out that an enemy model was willingly brought on board… When, Madam President, Not if…When the word gets out on who she is and what she did, she will be hunted. If I were to let her go, it would be showing favoritism. If she wasn't your daughter, you would agree with me."

"And what if Lee made the same mistake?" She watched him.

"He wouldn't."

"If he fell in love with a Six? If the model wasn't on our side and he fell in love with her? He'd protect her at all costs."

"What makes you so sure?" Bill grumbled, stepping on the other side of the cell, closing the door behind him.

Laura swallowed, "Because he did it with me. You sent Tigh and men to Colonial One to arrest me. You wanted to remove me as President because we didn't agree with my beliefs. He pointed a gun to Tigh's head in order to protect me and my office."

"He's smarter than that."

"We were duped. Both Tigh and Tory…We had no idea, Bill. No warning." Edging herself onto the desk located by the hatch door, Laura folded her arms, "I didn't know about her father being a Cylon, but that's the only-" She paused when she noticed he had no reaction, "You knew…You knew and you didn't tell me?"

Adama turned slowly to face her, bringing his hands together in front of himself, "It wasn't my place."

"Cottle said her blood is like Hera Agathon's and you didn't tell me."

"I couldn't. It would have jeopardized your-"

"You brought her on board. Was it for a reason or because you actually wanted me to know that my child didn't die during the attacks?"

"I couldn't risk her asking you that question." Bill stepped closer.

"She doesn't know either?"

"Just that she's your daughter and whatever you want to tell her." He shook his head, "I couldn't risk her leaving and not wanting to speak to you."

Laura watched him, attempting to study his face, "Why, Bill…"

"If you won't live for me, I know that you'll live for her." His words were smart and even. Bill knew he struck a nerve with her when she looked away from him. "I love you. I love you a lot, Madam President, but I can't be selfish and force you to fight a disease when there's no real outcome to all of this. At least, not one we can see right now. Since Starbuck led us down that path-"

"It was still a path. Cylons were the thirteenth colony."

"Which means, in the long run, we're all the same." Bill shook his head, looking back to the young woman in the cell, "You know who her father is. That's all that needs to know. You and her."

"And now Cottle. I told him to go through with testing." Laura sighs, her eyes followed Bill's, "If the blood eradicates this again…promise me you will release her."

"Madam President-" He started to shake his head in disagreement.

"She'll be hailed as a hero. There will be no favors shown, no protection needed." She bit the inside of her cheek.

Bill paused, straightening his back up before nodding, "Okay."

Laura grinned, "Thank you." She pushed herself off of the desk slowly, "I don't want to leave her."

"She'll be out a few hours. You should get some rest." He walked closer to her, offering her his elbow, which she promptly hugged onto, "For the record, I found no pleasure of putting her in here." Adama helped her over the lip of the hatch, nodding to the guards to continue with their posts.

"For the record, she told me not to be angry with you…that you were only doing your job." Roslin walked slowly with him, taking in the sight of the people making a hole for them to pass through the crowded halls.

"Smart girl." Bill smirked, leading her to his quarters.


	6. Chapter 6

_Trapped in a stark white room, she lifts her hands up in front of her face. She was a little girl again; A little girl with the mind of an adult. She looked around, hearing a faint sonnet played on the ivory keys of a piano. Giggling. She isn't the only one here. Beginning to walk toward the music, she notices a little blond girl, a few years older than herself, she thinks. The music becomes louder and stronger. It feels like it's in rhythm with her heartbeat. The closer she walks, the more she feels the melody played into her soul, burned and etched into her memory and consciousness. The other little girl climbs into the man's lap and she stands there, watching them. It becomes very obvious who this man is at that exact instant. Who may hold answers to her existence, she leans her hand toward him._

"Dad!" Gaia sat up in the cot, placing a hand over her chest, her heart was racing.

"Not really, but I enjoy when I'm accused of such." Cottle tapped the dry ashes of his cigarette onto the metal ground of the ship.

"Doctor Cottle." Slowly climbing from the cot, she walked over to the bars where he was standing, "Come to knock me out again?" Gaia ran a hand over her face, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

He shook his head slowly, "Came to tell you a few things."

Huffing a laugh as she smiled a little, "Like?"

"For starters, I want to thank you for bringing the President out of her shell. I haven't seen her so…energized in a good long while." Cottle nodded pulling over a chair by the desk in the room, "She needs that. She needs someone to yell at her a little bit."

"I don't yell at her. I'd never yell at her."

He sighed, "You know what I mean, Erica."

Gaia folded her arms together through the bars of her cell, watching him, "In the three days I've been in here, I've been awake for a grand total of four hours. Each time I get up, someone is back shortly only to sedate me again. Why is that? For that matter, where has Laura Roslin been?"

"Where has-" Cottle paused, shaking his head, "She's visited you every day, watching you for hours. You've been having nightmares. She strokes your hair to help you relax."

"Never when I'm lucid enough to know she's here." She replied quietly.

"You need to know some things about yourself that I don't think you know and the President doesn't want to tell you."

This perked her attention. She shifts from one foot to the other, still watching him, "You sent the guard out from in here. It must be."

"They're still outside the door." He nodded, taking another long drag. Cottle pulls out another cigarette from the holder in his lapel, lighting the paper stick with the embers of the old one, "Are you aware of whom Hera Agathon is?"

"Am I…Everyone in the entire fleet knows exactly who Hera Agathon is. The Cylon and Human hybrid child. Of course."

"Your mother doesn't want you to know that you're like her."

"In what way?"

"In the way that you have human and Cylon blood coursing through your veins. You're a hybrid, just like she is."

Gaia moved from in front of him, walking about her cell enclosure, "That's impossible, why aren't I popular to the Cylons the way she is?"

"Because her conception and birth were very pubic things. She's sacred to them. Your mother isn't a Cylon, so the lineage must come from your father. Has she told you anything about him?"

"He…worked at a bar on campus. They fell in love quickly. She went to tell him she was pregnant with me and he had up and left down. She never had the chance to tell him." Gaia glided her hand to the back of her neck, massaging it a little, "Are there others? Like Hera and myself?"

"I have no idea, Gaia."

She swallowed, nodding a little, "Why didn't my mother want to tell me that?"

"The last time she nearly died from cancer, the blood of Hera Agathon, while she was still in utero, was used to eradicate her disease."

"I remember the Admiral calling through the fleet for prayers…It came out during Baltar's trial."

"Yeah." Cottle nodded, continuing, "It was only a small amount that she received though and you see how well that's helped her."

"Lasted her while on New Caprica…a year and a half?" Erica shakes her head, "There had to be other factors why it worked though."

"She won't let us take more blood from Hera Agathon to try it and I highly doubt her parents would be willing to anyway." He watched her closely, "You can give us consent."

Gaia paused in her tracks, facing him slowly once more, "Give you consent…to save my mother's life?"

"Yes."

"You didn't need to ask me." She shook her head, this was something completely different than what she thought it was. Gaia folded her arms together slowly, sitting on her cot. She leaned back against the wall, watching the man in front of her, "Why didn't she want me to know?"

Cottle sighed, "She didn't want you to think it was the reason she was spending time with you. She was spending time with you because she wanted to…I'd even go as far as to say that she loves you."

Moving her gaze from the man, she stared at the ceiling, feeling tears come to her eyes, "Do you know of her whereabouts right now?"

"She isn't able to go a lot of places, Gaia. Probably in the Admiral's quarters or my Sick Bay."

"Do you think it would be possible…be possible to bring her here? I'd offer to go there, but I'm thinking they'll probably say no." Gaia swallowed, "Or…" She let out a breath she didn't know she was keeping, "Anything I can do, Doctor, anything I can do to save her life or help her in any way…I'd jump at the chance."

Cottle stood, smirking. "I'll let her know you're looking for her."

"Thank you, Doc Cottle." Her voice was hushed, reeling from shock still, "I'll give you a call when I'm ready to sleep." She teased.

He shook his head, "Try to do it on your own, would ya?"

"Won't happen, but I appreciate your vote of confidence." Gaia smiled softly, watching as he walked through the hatch. She picked her hands up, studying them and the veins that trailed up her arms, under the tattoos. She placed her hand over her chest, closing her eyes as she felt the rhythm of her heartbeat.

_It's as if the little blonde girl doesn't know she's there. The white smoke filled room wasn't imposing or fearful in the least bit, almost a comfort. The piano music played again, moving to the rhythm of her heartbeat. She swayed, her younger form swayed. The blonde man played on, then smiled to her when she moved close enough, "What is this?" She heard her young voice escape the depths of her delusion._

Laura watched the young woman as she mumbled to herself. She couldn't help but wonder if she had visions too or maybe her visions were of different things. Different issues. She didn't expect it to be of the Opera house. Laura knew she would have seen her if that was the case.

Erica opened her eyes, "Didn't hear the hatch." She smiled a little.

"You're awake."

"Depends on your definition of awake." She nodded, slowly rising from the bed. She stood in front of the woman, "You've known for days…Why didn't you tell me I was part Cylon?" Gaia tilted her head to the side, "You know it could help you…Why didn't you tell me?"

"I…" Laura shook her head, looking away a moment, "I didn't want you to-"

"To save your life?"

"To think it was the reason I was here every day." Her emerald eyes returned to the young woman who shared them.

"Mom." Erica whispered, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Laura. She had tears in her eyes, "I'd give you every last drop if it meant saving your life."

Laura was shocked. She waited a moment before reciprocating the emotion. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her thin, needle punctured arms around the young woman, "You don't have to call me that if you don't want to."

"My mother died when I was nine. However, she instilled in me a sense of self by that time. Told me to believe in everything I chose and to mean what I say. Nine years old." The young woman swallowed, "I'm twenty two years old. I've lived a long time. I've experienced more than most. The death of my parents, being on a death list, escaping a firing squad-"

"Our lives are mirrored."

"And holding the body of the man I loved most in my arms…and watching the life slip from him because no one…" Gaia shook her head, "Yes, for the most part, our lives are mirrored…devastatingly mirrored, except I've never had a child and…you have never been a marine…"

"No, I was not." Laura kept holding the girl since she wasn't letting her go either, "Are you sure you want to-"

"Cottle thinks my blood will work better…or longer than Hera Agathon's did. I'd give mine to you whenever you need it." She paused, "Why didn't you ask them for more of her blood though? You had an instant cure and you weren't going to-"

"I told them that their daughter was dead and gave her to another woman in the fleet. I aided in raising her for the first year of her life. I stole that from them." She swallowed, "I did it to protect her, but the greatest protection a child can have is to be with their parents."

"You didn't trust her mother. You couldn't. I wouldn't either." Erica shook her head.

"It's water under the bridge." Laura pulled back a little, looking at her, "Are you sure about all of this? I'm not sure what it entails or if it will be like last time…"

"A few days ago, I was ready to die. I'm still a bit-" Gaia pursed her lips slightly, in thought, "Instead of killing myself or waiting to die, I can save you. I can…We can…"

"I know." She swallowed, nodding slowly, "I'll talk to the Admiral."

"About?"

"Breaking you out of here." Roslin smirked, "If he says no, I'll do it anyway." She walked to the end of the open cell, nodding to Verner with a smile as she passed.

"Wait, one more thing."

Laura turned slowly to face her once more, "Yes?" She gently held onto the guard's arm to steady herself.

"Do you believe everything you dream has a meaning?" Gaia's face was almost desperate, like she was searching for answers that maybe her mother could provide her given some people heralded her as a prophet.

"I do, actually." She stepped back to the, now closed, jail cell, "You're having dreams?"

"The same one over and over."

Laura tilted her head to the side, "What is it?"

"I'm in a white room with a little blonde girl and a man is playing a piano. He's blonde…dirty blonde with blue eyes. The…the music he plays is so relaxing. The rhythm is my heartbeat."

Her eyes widened a little, knowing full well who was in her dreams, "Did he say anything to you?"

"Sometimes he does. Tells me not to be afraid…He tells me to trust you." Gaia swallowed, "I'm a little girl... a little girl with an adult mind. I'm not the only little girl there though. That's the thing. Just me and this little blonde girl."

"Does he mention her name?" Laura listened intently to her.

Erica shook her head, "He just calls her cookie all the time…his little tough cookie." She bit her lip, "It's my dad, isn't it…the…the piano player. Does he sound like he could be my father?"

"Yes, he does." She couldn't lie to the young woman, "His name was Daniel, but I heard people call him other names while we were together…so, I can't be entirely sure that was his actual name."

"Is there someone I…" Gaia glanced to the cell bars, "You could maybe talk to…someone who would know?"

"You have to look within yourself to figure out the meaning." Laura smirked, "I'll…I'll speak to Ellen Tigh."

"Who is she?"

"Part of the final five."

"Colonel Tigh's wife?"

"Yes." She patted the girl's hand, "I need to make some phone calls…conduct some meetings."

"Get to work, Roslin." Gaia grinned, resting her head against the bars as her mother left the room once more.

Laura paused when the hatch door closed behind her. Was Erica's Cylon half attempting to contact her? Why was she a child? Who was the little blond girl in the vision? She was filled with questions as she slowly made her way back to the Admiral's quarters. Finally reaching the place, she stood inside the hatch before slowly moving to Bill's desk. Laura was determined to get to the bottom of all of this.


	7. Chapter 7

Ellen Tigh rounded the corner through the corridor. Everyone knew who she was, what she was. How she was back from the dead and only caused Saul Tigh to turn back to the bottle. He may have loved her, but no one else did. She opened the hatch to the Admiral's quarters, a smirk plastered to her face. "Bill Adama, I knew it would only be a matter of time before you called me." She slowly walked through the cabin, finally spotting Laura at the man's desk. She still wasn't used to her being without her luscious, auburn lochs. Ellen's smile faded quickly.

"Sorry to disappoint, Ellen. Have a seat." Laura smirked a little, absently adjusting the scarf wrapped around her head.

Ellen folded her arms and did as the other woman had requested of her, "You look terrible."

"I know what I look like, but we aren't here to talk about me."

"About the Cylons?"

"One in particular."

This intrigued Ellen, almost as if she was some guru. She was the only one to fully realize all of the secrets of the Cylon history and the backstories of each model. The only one who was like a full encyclopedia to the Cylon mind and way of life. "Well, Little Miss School Teacher is coming to me for help? I thought you hated me, Laura."

"I'm not a fan, but this has nothing to do with that." Laura adjusted herself in the seat, "I need you to tell me of a male Cylon model. He was…blonde with piercing crystal blue eyes. I haven't noticed him amongst the others that I've seen. Um…" It seemed as if Laura's mind was elsewhere almost. Like she was thinking back to her time of entering the bar with her friends after classes were over.

A smirk returned to Ellen Tigh's face as she shook her head, "What are you doing?"

"I-" Laura swallowed, "I want more information on-"

"When have I ever helped you?" She shook her head, "More importantly, why would I ever help you?"

"Because you aren't just helping me. This information isn't only for me."

"Yeah, but why call me here? I heard of my child shot in your halls only days ago."

"He was an enemy model-"

"And he was still my child."

"And his girlfriend is my child. My…The young woman who brought him on board-"

Ellen raised an eyebrow, "Claiming yourself the mother of humanity now?"

Laura shook her head, "I put her up for adoption during college. I thought her to be long gone with the fall and all…" Leaning back in Bill's office chair, "She was discovered to be a part of the marine force."

"I don't understand what I have anything to do with this."

"Initially, after being brought aboard this ship, she was given a full work up in our Sick Bay. It was discovered that her blood returned some odd…some odd results-"

"She's part Cylon." Ellen could tell it in the other woman's face. She could see it a mile away. "My God, she's like Hera and…" Again she paused, "That's what this is about. You don't know the identity of her father?"

"I don't know which model it could possibly be. I've become acquainted with Cavil the First, Leoben the Second, D'Anna the Third, Simon the Fourth, Doral the Fifth…" Laura kept track of the model numbers on her fingers as she continued, "Caprica Six and Sharon the Eighth-"

"Not all the Sixes like to be called Caprica. They're the only model where almost each being has a different name."

"I've noticed." She folded her arms, "The one I am describing to you, does he sound-" Laura bit her bottom lip, "He went by Hutch, Slick, or Daniel…there were a few other-"

Ellen's eyes went wide, astonished and pleased at the same time, "You had Daniel's child?"

"Does he have a model number?"

"Technically, he's number Seven." She clasped her hands together, placing them over her knee, "My Daniel."

"Can you…can you tell me more about him?"

"Saul and I were unable to conceive children. We were scientists. There had to be other ways for us to experience parenthood." Ellen swallowed, "The five, along with John Cavil…who we made after my father had died, we all built the others, mostly modeled after fallen loved ones. Daniel was made as a child for Saul and I. He was beautiful…perfect."

"Why isn't he with the others?" Laura leaned forward slightly, placing her arms onto the deck, "In one faction or the other, I have only seen seven models."

"John poisoned the line…see, he was jealous of Daniel." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Is there anything to drink in here?"

"Tell me what happened to the Seventh Cylon?" She was unfazed. The only way Laura was going to obtain information from this woman was if she withheld the alcohol from her. She knew that, "Bill keeps good stuff in here. Tell me what I want to know and you're welcome to a sip."

Ellen shifted uncomfortably in the chair, "I don't like this."

"I only seek information."

Her gazed returned to the woman with the scarf wrapped around her head, "John thought he eradicated the entire Seven line, but we were sure that there was still one in the colonies…one single soul; Probably unaware of his true nature."

"He couldn't access the stream then…he couldn't get the virus." Laura tilted her head to the side, listening intently to all the woman says.

Ellen nodded, "Correct." She swallowed, "We thought that he could have possibly fathered children since we lost contact."

"Well, he did." She sighed, "And the daughter that he and I share is now in the brig."

Ellen began to grin, "What did she do?"

"Brought a Four on board. They were in a relationship. She was going to hide him."

"I see my granddaughter isn't too bright then."

"Your…" Laura paused, the term never dawning on her that this is what the girl might be to her, "My daughter is very smart. Love clouded her…her thought process."

"I'd like to see the girl."

"I don't think that'd be-"

Ellen stood, putting her hands on her hips, "She's my family just as much as she is yours. I'd like to see her…and I'll skip the drink to do it."

"Feel free." Laura didn't stand, exhausted. She waves her hand in the air, "Don't expect her to welcome you with open arms."

"Having you for a mother? I wouldn't." She smirked, leaving through the hatch.

Laura shook her head, as she bit her lip. She shouldn't have done that. Picking up the phone, she dialed the numbers to the Sick Bay.

"Yeah. Cottle." The older man answered, sitting at his desk and looking through a stack of papers.

"You told my daughter about her father without telling me you were going to?"

"With all due respect, Madam President, you're too damn stubborn to tell her yourself. I assume she's the one who informed you?"

"Yes." Laura picked her head up when the hatch opened again, Lee Adama. She waved the young man closer, motioning to a seat in front of the desk.

Lee tilted his head to the side, expecting to find his father, but does as he's told anyway. He leaned back in the seat, folding his arms. Unsure why he was summoned to this place or to speak with her, he relaxes some; unable to do so within the past few weeks.

"Well, Doctor, prepare everything. I foresee this happening very soon." She smirked, placing the phone back onto the receiver, "Hello." Laura smiled to Lee Adama, "New suit?"

Lee adjusted the lapel, nodding, "Yeah. Lot of clothes left from dying and all." He sat up some, "Why am I here?"

"I can't ask you here to visit?" Laura smirked, "Could you help me over to the bed? Then we'll talk."

"Of course." He could tell how weak she had grown, "You know, you may want to think about another assistant to help you. Tory is a lost cause."

"You're the President now, Lee. In all sense of the title." She nodded, "I don't need another assistant. I have bad luck with assistants. They turn up dead or evil." Her smile faded some as her mind went to her first aid, Billy Keikeya.

Lee knew exactly who she was thinking about, "He saved our lives. Remember that."

Laura turned her gaze to him as he helped her from the seat. His large arms wrapped around her thin torso. She pats his hand, "Thank you, Captain Apollo." She smirked.

"Sure, ma'am." Lee grinned, gently helping her to the bunk, he sits next to her, "So, I know you didn't call me just to help you move, though I'm always happy to. What's up?"

"There is a Cylon-Human hybrid adult woman in the brig. Ellen Tigh has caught wind of this-"

"There's what?"

"I need you to go down and watch their meeting behind the glass…in the separated room…with the glass, you know." Laura looked to him, "Please." She whispered.

"Why wasn't I informed?" Lee stood, folding his arms.

"I don't want the knowledge of her existence reaching everyone just yet. I don't need the press breathing down her throat…our throats."

"Of course. Has this hybrid been interrogated? Do we know a background?"

Laura nodded, "I just need you to go watch right now. You're welcome to speak with her after or return here and I'll tell you all I know, but you must leave now because Ellen is on her way and I don't want them being in the same room alone. I don't trust Colonel Tigh's wife in the least. Never have."

"Neither do I." Lee ran a hand through his hair, "I'll be back, Madam President." He exists through the hatch, making his way down to the viewing room of the brig. He knew of shortcuts that most did not. Entering the dark, secluded room, he looked out into the cage the young woman was contained in. It quickly dawned on Lee just who this was, and it caused him to laugh to himself.

Ellen Tigh knew the hybrid woman was allowed guests. No one knew exactly what she was except a traitor. She paused after stumbling over the bottom lip of the hatch.

Erica glanced over to the woman, "Make a wrong turn?" Her voice spilled over her lips with a velvet consistency; she stood from her bunk located in the center of the room.

"No, not at all." Ellen grinned, catching sight of her. She studied the young woman, her eyes roaming over her body and face, looking for any trace of the Seventh Cylon model.

"Something I can help you with?" The final five weren't widely known among the fleet for protection purposes, this was no different.

"I bet you can paint…"

"What?" Gaia furrowed her brow, watching the other woman, "Are you drunk?"

"No, more sober than I've been, actually." Ellen grinned, "Seems you are my son's daughter."

"I don't know who you are."

"My son was Daniel, commonly known as the Seven. I can tell by the shape of your fingers that you're a good painter…and can probably play piano with the best of them."

Suddenly, Gaia stopped. The piano. It was present in her visions, all of her visions. She looked away from this other woman in front of her.

"My son was a brilliant concert pianist." Ellen continued, "And he'd paint on the walls of his apartments. Full murals. It was amazing, to put it mildly."

"Am I his only kid?"

"That's more complicated than-"

"No, it isn't." Gaia moved to face the woman again, looking her in the eye, "Am I his only child?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Ellen shook her head, watching as the young woman walked away, "Tell me, what's your name?"

"The only one you need to worry about is Gaia."

"No, that's the name you earned by moving through ranks. What's your name?"

"I said it's Gaia." Erica glared toward her.

Lee grinned, the younger woman had spunk. Ready to put the troublesome Ellen Tigh in her place and watch as she squirmed in it. There was no doubt in his mind that this was, most definitely, Laura Roslin's offspring. He didn't care where she came from, didn't care where she'd been hiding, as long as she was there now. He could learn from her, he thought.

"Fine." Ellen nodded, defeated, "Gaia. What colony are you from?"

"Doesn't matter."

"It does."

"I said it doesn't. I was born on one and I lived on another with my parents."

Ellen Tigh began to shake her head, "Your parents are-"

"The ones who raised me. I may have formed a deep respect and trust for Laura Roslin and she may have brought me in to this universe, but she isn't my parent. I call her mother to appease her. She won't be remaining much longer and it would hurt her greatly if I called her otherwise." Gaia swallowed, "If treatments work and she remains, I'll think about what to call her, but right now…This isn't any of your business."

"Daniel was my son. Made in the image of my husband and myself. He was beautiful and funny…the most creative and loving being I've ever come to know." She swallowed, folding her arms, "He would have been a great father to you."

"Instead, he up and left Laura Roslin without the smallest scrap of paper telling her goodbye. Here was this young woman, going to school to better herself, being knocked down a few pegs by falling in love with a man that had no intentions of staying in the first place and baring his child. If he remained, my life could have been very different, and Roslin may not be the President. I guess I can thank him for that. We would have been dead if anyone else assumed the role as leader."

Lee raised an eyebrow, sighing heavily as he hears the story of the young woman's existence.

"Why did you smuggle a Four on board?" Ellen asked honestly, "You should have known. You should have felt it."

"What I felt was love. I loved him a great deal. I held him as the blood dripped from his body and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it." Erica glared again, "I'm finished speaking with you."

"Fine, but like it or not, you should know I'm your grandmother and you have a whole extended family that you should look into." Ellen nodded, "I love you."

"Frak off."

She smirked, folding her arms as she returned to the hatch, "Just like your mother." She said as she exited the small room.

Lee watched as the young woman waited to be alone before she broke down into sobs. He couldn't tell who they were over though. Her adoptive parents, her biological father, or her lost love. He wanted to help her. He knew the only way that was going to happen would be to get her out of her confinement. He smirked, realizing that's the reason Laura Roslin wanted him to bare witness to the meeting. She needed to escape too.


	8. Chapter 8

Lee Adama swarmed the CIC, watching his father as the old man stared at the Dradis screen, "Admiral." He called to him, folding his arms, "Admiral Adama, we need to talk."

Taking his eyes off the monitor for a moment, Bill glanced to his son before returning to the screen, "What's this concerning?"

"The prisoner you're keeping in the Brig." He glanced to Colonel Tigh, "Your wife just left there, you know. Seems your people are real interested in her…being what she is…"

"Lee, that knowledge isn't for public consumption." The Admiral glared toward his son.

"Yeah? Why isn't it? I think it's an unfair advantage to the Cylon members of our fleet." Lee continued.

"Bill, what is he talking about?" Tigh shook his head, unknowing completely of what the young man was speaking of.

"Let's talk about this in my quarters." The older Adama shook his head, leading the men away from the busy CIC, "Mr. Gaeta, come and find me if anything comes up." He called out, walking toward his office.

"President Roslin was about to rest when I left." Lee followed closely behind, glancing occasionally to Colonel Tigh, "Are you sure it's a good idea to wake her?"

The Admiral paused in the hallway, "You're right. The conference area." He motions next to them, flipping the switch to turn on the light as they enter the small room. He waited for the other two men to enter behind him before closing the door, "Lee, you're out of line."

"I was asked by President Roslin, herself, to looking into this matter. This is what she wants." The younger man nodded, placing his hands on his hips.

"What's he talking about?" Tigh glanced between the Adamas.

"What the Admiral isn't telling you is-"

Bill gave his son a look that instantly told him to stop, "My trip to Celestra was to obtain a young woman by the name of Erica Tejera. She happens to be the President Roslin's biological daughter. "

"And she's a hybrid, just like Hera Agathon." Lee finished for him, "So, your wife went down and attempted to spin her web, only to be shot down by her."

"Wait." Saul sighed, "The one who smuggled the Four on board?"

"That'd be the one." He couldn't help but laugh a little, "So, instead of protecting her from your wife and the rest of the Cylons, you have her locked away…free for all to enter and gawk. Thankfully, not many know she's part Cylon. Since Ellen Tigh knows, however, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the fleet finds out."

Bill folded his arms, "It was an act of treason."

Lee finally stepped in front of his father, looking him in the eye, "You're hurting her, Dad. You're hurting the President. She hasn't much time remaining and you've locked her only child away…making it difficult for the President to see her face."

Bill Adama knew his son was right. He also knew that there was nothing he could do about it. He knew there was protocol to be followed, even know when knowledge of who is and isn't Cylon is now followed with ally or enemy. "She will remain in the-" He paused as the lights conference room flickered, met with a distinct shake of the ship, "We were just hit." Bill flung the hatch door open and raced back to the CIC, "Mister Gaeta, what just happened?"

"We were just hit, sir. Dradis contact…multiple dradis contacts." Gaeta replied nervously. It had been so long since they were fired upon that it almost shocked him.

"Damn it." Saul shook his head, then glanced to Lee, "Take care of this, Apollo. The thing with Roslin."

"Dad, will you tell them to release her?"

"Fine." Bill gave his son a look, "You are responsible for her though."

"Thank you." Lee smirked to him, jogging away from the chaos of the CIC. He hurried to the Brig, finally standing outside the bars, looking to the young woman within them.

Erica Tejera glanced up, a cigarette at her lips, "Apollo?" She stood, a white tank top offering no protection from her bare chest underneath and a pair of sweatpants, "Fancy seeing you here. Laura Roslin speaks highly of you…even though you betrayed her during Baltar's frakking trial. What a shit show that was…"

"Your mother and I have come a long way from then." Lee couldn't help but take notice of the elegant black tattoos covering most of her body, clearly visible underneath her tank top.

She smirked, the hand rolled cigarette in brown paper still between her lips, "She can forgive you…you have history, you and her." She shakes her head, "I, however, don't forgive so easily…or trust, for that matter." Gaia brought a hand to the cigarette, resting it between her fingers as she drew it from her mouth.

"I've sprung you."

She paused, "Yeah?"

"I've spoken to my father and to the President. We have come to a decision that your presence in the brig is more unsafe than unleashing you to the public."

"Unleashing?" Gaia raised an eyebrow, "Am I a frakking dog?"

Lee shrugged, then gripped the bars when he felt another hit to the ship and the lights going out in the room, "The frak-" He moved to the phone in the room, calling to CIC. He spoke for a few moments before obtaining the emergency key from the desk and unlocking the girl himself, "Cylons have boarded."

"What do they want?" She shook her head, stepping out with a smile.

He glanced to her, "Could be your boyfriend coming back for you, we don't know." Lee handed her his sidearm, which he still kept on his person in emergency situations, "Hear your aim is pretty remarkable."

"I try." Gaia smiles, feeling the thick grip of the pistol in her hand, "If your father did something with my frakking blaster, I'm going to be pissed."

"Was there something special about it?" He spoke as they jogged from the room.

"It was my father's. Brought me good luck."

"Some luck."

"Because I haven't had it in my possession." She raised an eyebrow, "Where are you going?"

"To get myself a weapon."

"Look at these guys." She points to the scattered bodies, "They aren't going to need them anymore."

Lee nodded, "Good thinking."

Gaia smirked, watching as he scrambled from person to person, feeling for ammunition and weapons, "We're going to the Admiral's quarters."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. There are plenty of marines and such on board. Not very good ones, obviously, but we're going there and we're going to protect Laura Roslin."

"Why don't you call her your mother?"

"I had a mother, she's dead." Gaia jogged, smiling when she spotted a shotgun, "Here we go." She slipped the pistol into the waistband of her pants, "I'm not letting this woman die yet though. I can save her life. We're going to protect her."

They made their way up to the main floor of the battlestar, before Lee shook his head, "You protect her. I have to go fly."

"Fine."

"Get her to the cargo bay. Get her off the ship. It's too dangerous here."

"It's pretty damn dangerous out there too." Gaia made a face, turning the wheel to the Admiral's quarters. She watched him run off before stepping inside and slamming the hatch behind her, "Madam President."

Laura sat up at the bunk she commonly shared with the Admiral, "A lot of commotion." She looked up, not realizing immediately exactly who the young woman was, "Erica." She attempted to stand, needing the young woman to be close.

"It's okay." Gaia shook her head, moving over to her and hugging her tightly, knowing it's what she wanted to do in the first place, "We're getting you off the ship."

"What?"

"It's not safe here."

"You're coming with me."

"Mom, the only safe place is the Basestar. Do you think that's-"

"I don't care." Laura watched the young woman, "You look about my size, put on actual clothes. You look like a hoodlum."

"Sweatpants and a tank top is hoodlum material?"

"There's also an extra bra in there. This is not the time of woman's liberation-"

"To me it is. As you remember, I was recently liberated from, what I like to call, the depths of hell."

Laura smirked, "Take a brush to your hair, come on. Can't have my kid looking like a prison-"

"Why? You've been there quite a number of times as well, if I remember correctly." Gaia grinned, going to where she said the clothing was, "You're lucky they let me have a shower this morning. Ever try to take a shower with cold water and two guns pointed at you? Not that fun."

"Doesn't sound like it." She rounded her head in a circle, stretching her neck, almost. "I had Diloxin this morning. I'm…weaker than I usually am, now."

"If I need to carry you, I will." She finishes dressing, a maroon dress shirt and a pair of pin striped trousers. "Any shoes?"

Laura pointed where there was only a pair of jogging shoes and two pairs of heels, "Those pants will drag if you try the tennis shoes."

"You're telling me I have to run around this frakking ship with a pair of heels?"

"I've done it." The woman smirked

Gaia shook her head, "Wait a minute." She reached into the closet more, pulling out a pair of boots, "Here we go. From New Caprica? They have the smell of that place." She smirked.

"Yeah…I forgot about those." Laura chuckled, her head quickly turning to face the hatch door as the slow metal wheel began to spin.

The young woman stopped, bringing the pistol up to eye sight. Ready to shoot whatever walked in the door.

Lee Adama walks through, putting a hand up, "Sorry."

Gaia let out a sigh of relief, "Gods damn it, Apollo." She reached down, tucking the bottoms of the pants into her boots, then lacing them and tying them tightly, "Do we have a clear path to the hanger deck?"

"No, there's a Raptor waiting in Cargo Bay six though. I must stay and help where it's needed. You get her off this frakking ship." He nodded, closing the hatch behind him as he exited once again.

"What did you think I was going to do?" Erica stepped over to the pale, weak woman who was having difficulty just sitting up. She offers her hand, "You okay?" Gaia kneels in front of her slowly, "You don't look so hot."

"There's nothing to be done about it now." Her voice was frail and she blinked heavily.

Erica licked her lips in thought, "I'm afraid you won't make the trip."

"I'll be fine." Laura reached out, touching her daughter's face. She honestly didn't think she would make it either.

"The…Maybe the Cylons have some kind of…some technology to-"

She leaned down slightly, placing a kiss on the young woman's head forehead, "Whatever happens, Erica, always know that I've loved you from the moment I first felt you…and I never stopped."

Gaia stood, feeling slight burn of tears in her eyes, "I'll go with you. I'm like a god to them, right? They'll come up with something."

"You're needed here more." Laura moaned softly to herself, "Go ahead. I'll stay."

"I won't leave you here. Transport or Sick Bay…" She bit the inside of her cheek, attempting to keep her emotions at bay. Though they had only known of each other's existence for a week, there was an undeniable connection. A connection that Gaia wanted to explore after using her blood to heal the other woman, she had to.

"You will be doing no good. I don't move fast enough. If a centurion is on your heels-"

"I'll carry you."

"I'm not-"

"Cottle can give you something to tie you over." She shook her head, moving away from the woman. Her thick auburn hair was wild around her shoulders as she attempted to gear herself up, rolling the sleeves of the maroon blouse up, and adjusting the strings of the boots, "We'll see what he says." Gaia moved back to the woman, gently lifting her frail body into her arms. She took note of the bones she could feel nearly protruding through the woman's skin, "Okay?"

"I'm much too heavy for this."

"I can bench press two-fifty." She smirked to her, "You're a feather compared to that."

Laura wrapped her boney arm around her neck, "When you leave the hatch, you're going to take a left, follow down the hall three passageways, and take a right."

"Just relax. This will go quicker."

"You look far too slim to be able to do this." Her raspy voice permeated the space next to Gaia's ear and it was almost as if she could feel the woman slowly slipping from her grasp.

"I take after you. Stronger than I look." Gaia smirked, knowing she'd love that.

Laura grinned, her breathing became increasingly labored and the young woman carrying her attempted to move faster. Thankfully, nothing stopped them while they were en route.

"Doctor Cottle!" The young woman yelled, being let into the Sick Bay hatch by a marine, "Doc!" She yelled again finding an empty bed, any empty bed as she lied her mother onto it.

Cottle looked over, seeing the form of what the President once was in the bay. He furrowed his brow and rushed over, "What the hell happened?"

"The breathing. I'm not letting her off this ship until she's a hundred percent stable." Gaia shook her head, glancing toward the man.

"I don't think that's going to be happening any time soon." He motioned to the nurse to set the woman up, "You're freaking me out a bit right now." Cottle motions for the young woman to follow him.

"Why am I freaking you out?" She continually glanced toward the woman in the bed as she followed him to his office, "Can't you give the President a shot or something?"

"The only shot I could possibly give her that would make the slightest bit difference is actually an overdose of the medication and would cut her life time in half. I don't want that and I'm sure you don't either." He shook his head, looking her up and down, "You look just like her."

"So I've heard." She sighed, "What can be done? You mentioned my blood helping her before-"

"It will take time. I think a full-"

Gaia shook her head, "I don't care how long it takes or what's needed. It's only been about an hour since I've been out of the brig and she…" The young woman swallowed, "Just…whatever it takes, please."

Cottle nodded, "We'll take a couple pints of your blood and transfuse it directly to President Roslin."

"That's it?"

"What?"

"Just two pints of my blood will cure her?"

"Probably less than that, but…I don't want to take the chance." He lights a hand rolled cigarette, "It may leave you a little weak though."

"I don't care, as long as she's alive." Gaia swallowed, walking away from him and moving to her

Laura looked to the young woman, "Don't worry so much, Erica."

"How can I not?" She replied softly, "Cottle's setting up a thing for us."

"What?"

"I'm going to give you some blood."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do." Gaia swallowed, leaning down, she kissed the woman on the head. She picked her head up as the doctor and his head nurse pushed the beds closer to one another. She lied back on the bed after being told to, kicking her shoes off next to the bed.

Laura watched her closely, looking down when her daughter takes her hand. They're linked via tubes to one another, "Will this hurt her?" Her eyes met Cottle's.

He could tell where her line of questioning was going, "Absolutely not, young lady. She's in great health."

"See? Relax." Gaia leaned her head back, "They're probably starting to worry in cargo."

"Where's the Admiral?"

"Don't know…don't care really. It's his fault this took so long. He knew what I could do and he knows you're sick. It's almost like he did this on purpose."

"He wouldn't do that." Laura shook her head, moaning softly as the hot blood pumps into her veins.

"Are you two comfortable, girls?" Cottle looked between, watching the monitors. When he received nods from them, he continues, "If this works out the way we want it to, you'll be a whole new woman, Madam President."

"I look forward to just being able to stand on my own." Laura Roslin smirked, "Is it supposed to burn?"

He took his cigarette from his lips with his fingers, "She has many different antibodies in her system, "Ones that you do not yet have. They're attacking the cancer cells head on and since you both have some antibodies that in common, it should adhere quicker and better than the sample from Hera Agathon a few years ago.

"Why is that?" She moaned again.

Gaia squeezed her hand gently, "Don't question it. Just rest." She replied softly.

Laura Roslin leaned her head back and began to shake uncontrollably.

"What's happening?" The young woman fearfully looked to the older man with wide eyes, "Why is she doing that?" She held her hand tighter.

"She's seizing." Cottle sighed, "She did this last time. Don't stop it."

"How much is left to go?"

"Half a pint." He puts his cigarette in an ashtray by the bed, he kept them scattered all over the Sick Bay, "Come on, Laura. Almost done." He waits another couple minutes, "Alright, that's it." He clamps the line, quickly removing the needle from her arm. Cottle began to check her vitals, "Madam President." He called to her.

Gaia bit her lip, letting the nurse remove the needle from her arm, "What can I do?"

Ishay shook her head, "Nothing. Stay down for a few moments."

Erica looked to the older woman in the bed as she stopped shaking, "Mom." She called to her.


	9. Chapter 9

The silence was deafening in the moments following President Laura Roslin's seizure. All who were watching held their breaths. This was their dying leader. This is what they were waiting for, though she was also the beacon of their hope as well. They cheered her praises and demanded she be placed back to the position of President. No second election necessary.

When the heart monitor beeping above the older woman became a constantly rhythm and her breathing less and less labored. Gaia didn't notice. She was too busy staring at the ceiling, tears escaping her eyes with the belief that she killed the woman she'd grow to learn more and more about. She folded her arms over her eyes, letting herself sob into the skin of her forearm.

Laura slowly opened her eyes, looking at the older doctor, "Frak me." She groaned, the pain coursing through her body was nearly unbearable. She arched her back and moaned loudly.

Cottle couldn't help but smirk, knowing what she meant, but playing with her anyway. "I appreciate the sentiment, Madam President, but I think the Admiral would kick my ass." He glanced to Ishay, "Pull me up some Morpha please."

Lowering her arms, Gaia looked to the older man, "She's okay?"

"We'll know more in an hour. Let it get into her system." Cottle grumbled, taking the syringe from the nurse and pushing the needle into Roslin's intravenous line, he disposes of it into a sharps container. "That should help with the pain, young lady." He nodded to the ill woman in front of him. He gently took her hand into his own like he usually did when she was there alone and having difficulty with treatment.

Erica wiped her wet eyes and slowly sat up, watching them intently, "She holds you in high regard." She swallowed, bringing her hand to her own head, "Seems the feeling is mutual."

"Something like that." He nodded, making quick work of checking the President's vitals, "Temp is a little high. I'll check again in a few minutes.

Laura opened her eyes again slightly. She looked to the man and offered him a soft smile, managing to whisper, "Where's Erica?"

Gaia heard her and grinned. She quickly rose from her stretcher, "I'm right here." She stood next to her.

Cottle picked his head up to look at the young woman, "You're going to fall down if you don't lay down."

"She needs to know I didn't leave." The young woman moaned softly, "I wouldn't ever leave." She felt her knees begin to buckle and it only caused her to grip onto the other woman's bed rail more.

"Great now get back in that bed."

"I'm...I'm fine." Erica couldn't even finish the sentence before she finally lost consciousness, hitting her head against the hard metal floor of the battlestar.

Ishay scrambles to the young woman, able to make quick work about getting her in bed.

Cottle raised an eyebrow, bringing another cigarette to his lips, "Told you."

The young nurse shook her head, "She gashed it. Must have hit it on something on the way down." Ishay looks in the area where the girl went to the floor, noticing a part of the bed that was bloody with some of her hair and scalp on it as well, "Might need some stitches or a couple stables, Doctor."

"Then give her some. You aren't incapable of doing that." The older man watched her, then moved his gaze to the President once more. He took her temperature again. "About the same."

Laura heard him and the commotion the young nurse was making, "What happened?" Her voice was groggy and thick, almost as if she was straining to speak, which she was not. She turns her head slowly, seeing her daughter and what the young nurse was doing, "How was she hurt?"

"Passed out." Cottle took a long draw of the cigarette, cradling it between his middle and index fingers, "Stubborn, just like you."

"I find that hard to believe...I'm not stubborn." She smirked, starting to come around more, "I don't remember treatment hurting so much last time."

"It was a larger dosage that was closer connected to your natural blood type. It's going to work better and faster. You'll be back to your ball busting ways in no time."

Roslin smirked, "Ball busting." Her eyes never leaving her daughter's sleeping form.

"Give the girl a saline drip as well." Cottle nodded to Ishay, "Restore some fluids faster."

"Supposed to be in the cargo bay." The President sighed, "They were going to hole themselves up there and wait for us."

"Which cargo?"

"I don't remember."

"I could call them. Have to leave you for that though." The older man nodded to her, "That way they'd know where you were."

"Yes, let make them aware of our whereabouts. The Admiral is probably-"

"Shaking people down and accusing them of kidnapping you...or accusing her of kidnapping you." He motioned to Gaia.

"She wouldn't." Laura reached toward the young woman, "Move the beds closer?"

"You heard the young lady." Cottle smirked to Ishay before walking away from them. He piked up the telephone located on his desk, calling each cargo bay.

"The frak was that?" Starbucks yelled out, pointing her gun through a small sliver of the open cargo bay door, "Lee, they aren't coming. Maybe they were caught or-"

"They are coming." Bill Adama growled.

Lee glanced to his father, "Dad-"

"If you don't believe it, let me go find them myself."

"I can't let you do that."

"Isn't anyone going to answer the frakking phone?" Saul Tigh called out, walking over to the phone on the wall, he yanked it out of it's holder, "What is it?" He barked, listening, he looked over to the quarreling family, "Thank you, Doctor." He replaced it and walked over to them, "They're in Sick Bay."

"What?" Starbuck picked her head up, putting her hand out to stop the Adama men from fighting.

"Sick Bay. Gaia took her to Sick Bay because she didn't think she was going to make the trip." He sighed, "We've been holding this open for too long. Close it. They're safe."

"She needs to get off the ship." Lee looked to him, "The President cannot be here. They will find her and-"

Bill Adama glanced around, "Close the doors. We will hole up here until the path is clear."

"Father, it may never be clear."

Kara shook her head, "Look, one way or another, the cylons are going to find her. I don't know why they'd be after her since she's on her last leg and closer to death than most."

"If Gaia took her to Sick Bay-" Bill glanced toward Tigh, "What else did he say?"

"Did who say?" Tigh raised his eyebrow.

"Whoever you were on the phone with."

"Cottle."

"What else did Cottle say?" Adama turned, facing him.

"She's not rejecting the transfusion." Saul shook his head, "I don't know what the hell he's talking about."

"Transfusion?" Kara straightened her back up after closing the cargo door.

Bill attempts to hide a grin looking to Lee, "And you left her in Gaia's care?"

"Yeah." Lee smiled back to his father.

"Wait a minute, who the frak is Gaia?" Starbuck looked between the three men, "You're grinning like idiots."

"Erica Tejera." Lee began to chuckle, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall, "She's Roslin's daughter...and happens to be part Cylon. Probably why Roslin was so receptive to Hera's treatment, now that I think of it, she's had hybrid blood in her before."

"Well, now she has it again." Bill nodded.

"She doesn't have any kids." Kara placed her sidearm back into it's holster, folding her arms, "Or Cylon daughters for that matter."

"One. She..." Adama watched her, "It's a long story best saved for another time. Gaia just saved the President's life."

"How do you figure?"

"A transfusion of human-cylon blood would eradicate the cancer cells. It did before, but that was only a small sample and it only lasted a couple years. A sample of this magnitude will...might keep her body from creating new ones." Lee answered for his father, "Especially since it's her own blood...it may take to her better than Hera Agathon's did."

Kara nodded slowly, "If the girl is half Cylon and the President is her mother, then who is her father? What model?"

"Don't know. You'll have to take that up with her." Bill shook his head, sitting at the opening of the Raptor.

"You said Roslin told Ellen." Saul glanced to his best friend, "Bet she knows what one it was."

"Don't you?"

Tigh shook his head slowly, "I don't know anything about it. She's more aware."

"She's touched the goop on the Basestar." Kara nodded.

"What goop?" Lee raises an eyebrow.

"There's this...jelly stuff that they put their hands into...the Cylons, I mean. It's like logging into a computer to them."

"I didn't know that." Saul Tigh shook his head.

Bill chuckled, "Why would you?"

"I always wondered what would happen if one of us touched it...a regular human touched it...Especially knowing the Thirteenth Tribe was-" Kara started to speak.

Lee shook his head, "Don't finish it. I think I should try and go to Sick Bay to retrieve the President."

"That isn't safe anymore, Apollo. Think of something else.

"There is nothing else. That's the only way to do it. What if we throw a shrapnel bomb out before and-"

"I'll get them away from the door. You just figure out what to do after that." Kara stood, placing her hands on her hips.

"What are you thinking, Starbuck?" Bill picked his head up.

"Good, old fashioned, decoy. I'm going to run...have them chase me."

"I don't like it. You're going to get yourself killed." The old man shook his head.

Tigh glanced to him, "I think it's the only way."

"Good, I'm glad we agree." Kara walked back to the door, "Lee."

"For the record, I think this is a terrible idea." Lee gave her a look as he got up and helped her.

"See you all on the other side." Starbuck grinned as she raced out the door, only to have the large metal robots follow her.

Lee watched closely, "Looks like they took the bait." He waves his hand, "Let's go."

Kara smirked as she ran, just jogging in zig-zags as to not let them shoot.

"_Kara. Kara come to Daddy." The man grinned, waving her closer._

_Kara quickly moved to her father's side, sitting next to him on his piano bench, "Our song?"_

"_Always our song. You and I are the only ones to know it. The only ones to care to know it."_

_She caught sight of another girl this time, one who was never there before. She smiled slightly, "Who is she?"_

"_That is my other. You and her will be very important one day."_

_Kara tilted her head to the side, taking in the sight of the auburn haired girl, looking just as confused as she was._

Starbuck made a face, shaking her head to take herself from the vision. She manages to duck behind a corner, watching the centurions run past. She grinned, turning and making her way to the Sick Bay.


	10. Chapter 10

Laura held Erica's hand, almost absently tracing the lines of her knuckles. She was beginning to quickly come out of her fevered stupor, her body was adapting to the blood her daughter provided her. "Erica." She said gently, watching her face as she reached her other hand over to stroke the young woman's hair, "Gaia." She tries again, remembering how it worked for some of the pilots and marines who were in shock.

The young woman looked to her, wincing, "My head hurts." She hissed.

"You fainted." Laura nodded, "Took a nice gash out of your head."

"Doesn't matter-"

"Of course it matters. I don't like to see you in pain." She continued to watch her, "Erica, Cottle said things are looking good."

Gaia flinched from the bright light in her eyes, she picked up a hand to shield them as she talked with the woman, "I saved you?"

Roslin hummed her approval, "My fever is gone...I...have more energy, even my vision seems better."

Bill jogged through the Sick Bay, "Do you understand what dangers you've subjected-" He began to bark at the young woman in the bed, but stopped suddenly when he noticed the color had returned to his love's body, "Laura..." He almost whispered.

"Don't yell at her." The President looked to him, "You should have let her out of the Brig a while ago." She shook her head, "Actually, she should have never been there in the first place."

"Why did she bring you here instead of getting you to the-" The anger in him was visibly rising.

"She wouldn't have made it." Gaia moaned as she pushed herself up, looking at him, "I wasn't going to let that happen. I knew I was part Toaster, so...it means she has a constant lifeline with me." She shook her head, motioning for the nurse to turn the lights down that were behind her, "With all due respect, Sir, I saved her life. Taking her from this ship then would have killed her when you wanted me to. So, instead, I saved her life."

"The injection-"

"It was a transfusion. More blood means longer synapse between cancer scares." Laura grinned to him, "I'm okay, Bill."

He quickly moved to her, leaning down to kiss her deeply. Bill could feel the tears that were in his eyes, but refused to acknowledge them, "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Not anytime soon." She whispered, moving a hand to stroke his face, reciprocating his emotion.

He swallowed, "I thought she hurt you."

Laura shook her head, "Never."

Bill lifted his head in a nod, then looked over to the young woman in question, "Why is she in the bed then?"

"She thought I died, got out of bed to hold my hand after the transfusion...passed out and hit her head on the way down."

"Why did she think you died?"

"Because I convulsed...like last time." Laura gazed over to the young woman affectionately, "What's the deal with the Cylons? Have they been handled?"

"Not completely, unless Starbuck found a way to do that."

"What?"

Bill shook his head, sighing slightly, "She threw a distraction. Got them away from the cargo doors so we could come and get you."

Cottle stood idly by, but finally spoke up, "She's not going anywhere anytime soon. Neither of them."

"I'm only concerned about the President."

Laura gave him a look, "What?"

"Madam President-"

"No, She is my daughter. If her story were different and she were with me from the beginning, she would he received the same protections as any other child of the President." She continued, "You will treat her no different now."

"He's right." Erica watched them argue, "He has no reason to protect me. You're much more important to the people than I am."

"I lost Billy and Tory...she..." Laura shook her head, "I will not allow anything to happen to you."

"Sometimes, you don't have a choice in the matter." She offered the older woman a smile, "You are the President of the people-"

"And you're a hybrid...You're as important as Hera Agathon not only to the human race, but to the Cylons."

"No one knows that. None of the Cylons know of my existence except for Ellen Tigh." Gaia glances toward Cottle and grinned, "Doctor patient confidentiality."

"And Saul." Bill spoke up.

"Saul?" Laura raised an eyebrow.

"Lee and I told him and Kara while we were waiting for the two of you. After Cottle called, Saul didn't understand the message."

"So, now two Cylons know of my existence." Gaia folded her arms, tilting her head to the side, "You two are really good."

"Probably more. Ellen Tigh isn't exactly known for keeping her mouth shut." Cottle grumbled.

"So, I'm betting, two to one, all of the final five know...as well as the Twos, Sixes, and Eights." The young woman continued, "And here I am, in a frakking bed with a gash to my head instead of hiding or helping my mother get the frak off this ship...they all know. They all frakking know."

Laura swallowed, "I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't." Gaia looked away from them, seeing who else she recognized in the Sick Bay, "We were all better off just not knowing."

"Hey now. You wouldn't have saved the President if we didn't know." Cottle nearly growled to the young woman, "Now, knock it off."

Bill sighed, noticing Lee walk toward him with Saul, "Starbuck still running around."

"I haven't heard anything, so I assume so." Lee nodded to his father, stopping at the curtains, he smirked to the women in bed, "How are you feeling, Madam President?"

"Better." Laura offered him a smile.

Saul stood there, looking at the young woman. She was a near carbon copy of her mother with some slight differences, "What's your name?"

Gaia tilted her head to the side, "What's it to you..." She looked to his pins, "Colonel."

"Snippy one, eh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Hit her head. We're going to let that be her excuse for a while." Bill looked to the young woman, "Erica Tejera. Part of the Women's Marine Task Force. Callsign Gaia."

"Your name precedes you." Saul smirked.

Gaia watched him, "What the hell does that mean?"

"I remember seeing their marksman stats. Bill, it was incredible." He shook his head, "You'll have to take a look sometime. It's why she went through the ranks so quickly. On par with Starbuck."

Bill raised his eyebrows, "I didn't know."

"Who is Starbuck?" Erica shook her head, watching the two men, "And would you stop ogling me, patches?" She gives Tigh a look.

"Patches?" Tigh glared to her.

Laura glanced away from the three in an attempt to hold back her laughter. It wasn't going very well.

Lee smirked, "Hey, has Starbuck's temperament toward you too." He nodded to the young woman, "You hit your head?"

"Not a big deal. I apologize for disobeying orders." Gaia sighed.

He shook his head, "You did the right thing. You don't ever apologize for doing the right thing."

"I just want to go to a real rack and sleep. I don't want special treatment or-"

"Sleep in my quarters." Lee nodded.

"I'm...Sir, with all due respect-" Gaia began to shake her head.

"I have an extra rack. That way you don't have to worry about-"

"The probability of catching my mother and her boyfriend in the act?"

"Her boyfriend is my father." He motioned to the Admiral, "And yes, among other things."

Laura blushed, shooting a look in Bill's direction.

"That would be great." Gaia smiled to him.

"In a completely platonic way." Lee glanced to the President, "Is that okay with you?"

"I'm...Yes, I guess. Are you sure, Erica? I don't want you to ever feel like you're not wanted." Laura looked to her daughter, "That would be the farthest thing from the truth."

Cottle used the phone on the wall when it rang. He nodded, returning to the group, "That was Starbuck, she said everything is clear."

"Doctor Cottle, it would be in the fleet's best interest to get the President to the Rebel Basestar. Cottle isn't going to let up on his attack." Tigh spoke to the man, "The girl too. She's important to my...to the cylons and the humans alike. We want to protect her existence from Cavil."

Laura looked between all the men, "I'm not going anywhere without her, so figure it out, gentlemen."

Bill nodded, knowing she meant every word. "I'll work with Cottle."

Cottle furrowed his brow, "Don't expect too much, Admiral." He walked back to his office, sitting in his office chair.

"There are areas on the Basestar where they could rest." Adama looked to the man, "The President is looking significantly better already."

"Looking being the key word there." He lit up a cigarette.

"Is she not?"

Cottle sighed, "I have to check her."

"You know what the answer will be. I have to guarantee her safety and it needs to happen now." Adama nodded, "Is she safe for travel, or not?"

He nodded, "The other one too. Just keep an eye on her head."

Tigh nodded to Lee as he stood in the doorway, telling him to start getting the women ready for transport.

Lee looked to the both of them, "Gaia, I know you had a great deal of blood loss, but do you think you'll be able to man a sidearm?"

Erica nodded, showing him the one he had given her earlier. "We're good."

He smirked, offering her a hand, "It's just in case. Starbuck got rid of them, means we should be clear to go."

She rose from the bed, moving around to her mother's side when she was released from all the tubes, "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic." Laura took her hand, walking with her, the older men joined in behind them and they reached the cargo bay with little effort. "The frak is he doing here?"

Gaius Baltar folded his arms, "I don't believe that's any way to welcome me, Madam President." He grinned, catching sight of the young woman, "So it is true. Some of the Cylons believed it to be myth when they visited my temple."

"It isn't a frakking temple, it's a harum."

"What?" Gaia raised her eyebrow, "You almost got me killed on New Caprica. I don't really see any reason for you to be here."

"Cavil will kill him if he has the chance." Kara nodded, turning to look at the young woman. She offers her a smile, feeling familiar with her for some reason, "Starbuck."

"Gaia." Erica answered, helping her mother onto the wing of the raptor.

"Wait." Laura shook her head, wrapping her arms around Bill's shoulder. She returned his kiss as he kissed him deeply and whispered something into his ear that the rest of the group couldn't hear. "Okay." She glanced to them, climbing into the aircraft with Gaius Baltar and her daughter.

"You really aren't holding back anymore are you..." Gaia raised her eyebrow as the doors of the raptor closed.

"There's no need any longer." Laura grinned to her, the color of her face had already returned among other things.

Baltar looked between them, focusing on the President, "You're looking well, Madam President." His tone was condescending almost, but Laura could tell he was being truthful.

"Why are you frakking talking right now?" Gaia glared at him.

Roslin looked to her daughter and smirked, "He's fine."

"The resemblance between the two of you is remarkable to say the very least." He nodded, "The both of you are quite stunning."

"You may have frakked half the fleet and had at least three venereal diseases named after you, but that isn't going to work on anyone in this raptor." Erica glanced over to the pilot, smirking.

Athena smirked.

"Wait...you were the one." She started, "You were the one who shot-"

"Yeah, and I'd do it again."

Gaia swallowed, looking straight ahead, "He was different."

"He wasn't. He would have killed you when given the chance."

"The four models used to help Cottle in the medic tents on New Caprica."

"I don't care." Athena shook her head.

"You weren't on New Caprica. You were busy on Galactica earning the undeserved trust of the-"

"Erica." Laura barked, "That's enough."

Gaia bit her lip, nodding, "I apologize."

"I will protect Galactica at all costs. Same goes for the Admiral and even the President." Athena nodded, "I don't have to do that. Part of me hates myself for being that way, knowing what she did with my daughter-"

Laura looked down, closing her eyes a moment.

"Ladies, you're all very beautiful, but can we not argue while en route, please?" Gaius asked nervously.

"Shut up." A resounding answer from each of the women as they looked to him.

"Yes, well, okay then." He nodded, looking through the front window.

The flight was simple as they landed on the Basestar. The door opened to the raptor and the group was met with various models with different styles of clothing and hair, but the same faces.

Athena climbed off first, offering assistance to the President and Gaius Baltar as they stepped off.

Gaia rose from her seat, standing in the doorway as she looked to the other models.

"Welcome home, child of God." A two model grinned to her, followed by the smiles of the other models.

Erica looked out to them, not afraid, but surprised. Ellen and Saul Tigh were correct. She was important to these people and the humans, she was one of the links to their bridge of coexistence.


	11. Chapter 11

Laura watched the reactions of the Cylons with her daughter. How intensely interested they were in her. It astounded her. She looked to Athena, "Just so you know..."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I brought you here-" Athena started, cutting the woman off.

"I did it to protect her. Hera. I did what I did to protect her. I knew the Cylons would be after her if they knew she survived. I didn't want that for her since she...since she saved my life." She nodded.

She watched the woman, "You could have given me a heads up-"

"You had to believe it too. I thought I was doing what was best for her and I'm sorry I hurt you and Captain Agathon in the process." Laura swallowed, "For that, I'm sorry."

"Water under the bridge." Athena nodded, walking away from her. She paused, turning for a moment, "Thanks." Her answer was as hurried as her descent down a hallway.

Gaia stood in the middle of the Cylons surrounding her, "Okay, you guys are freaking me the frak out." She shook her head, "I'm feeling claustrophobic." She pushed past them for the most part, finally coming in front of a darker skinned woman who had no match. She looked her in the eye.

Tory grinned, "Laura, I had no idea that you-" She reached out, touching the end of the young woman's curly auburn hair.

"Save it, would you?" Laura Roslin glared at her former assistant, former friend.

Gaia glanced to her mother, walking to her and taking her hand. She had yet to see the woman so angry with another person before. "What was that about?" She asked quietly, following a Six model to a room for them to decompress.

"If there is anything you require, please don't hesitate." The Six's voice was soothing, an eerie calm. She nodded before leaving them to their own devices.

Laura shook her head, "Don't worry about it."

"I'd like to know, please." Erica looked at the walls, tilting her head to the side, flashes filled her brain of familiarity. Something she, herself, couldn't describe in the least bit.

"She was my former...everything. Chief of Staff." The older woman adjusted the scarf against her head, "She came out as a Final Five and now..."

"I understand." She nodded, then went to the bench across from her, "You know, you look terrible without any hair."

"That's too bad. I was thinking of making this permanent." She smirked, speaking sarcastically, "I didn't exactly have much choice in the matter."

"No, you didn't." Gaia grinned, leaning back, "Now what do we do?"

"We wait."

"For what?"

"For whatever. We just...You know what, that's a good question."

"That jelly stuff...the water they touch, do you think it would do anything if I touched it?" Erica slowly lowered herself onto the bench more, lying back.

Laura looked to the young woman, tilting her head to the side, "You want to risk that?"

"Risk?"

"Ellen Tigh told me that the Seven line, the model that was..." She sighed, "It was poisoned. I don't know if that poison is still present in their system and I'd rather not have you poison yourself for no real reason."

Gaia nodded, she could understand that. She stared at the ceiling and the walls around her, "Did you..." She figured that time was as good as any to find out the information she wanted to know, "Did you love him?"

Laura watched the young woman intently, not able to really get enough of her presence, "Your father?"

"Yes...was it a one night stand kind of thing, or were you in a relationship?"

"It was neither of those things...at least I don't think so." She looked away from her, toward the floor, "We cared for one enough very deeply and...when he left, it was..." Roslin shook her head, "Not my best day."

Gaia smiled softly, "I keep...when I sleep, I keep seeing a man at a piano and there's another little girl with him and...My father, he was a piano player, right?"

"Yes." She laughed softly, "He was a very good piano player."

"Why do you laugh?"

"It's amazing that you had never met him, was never told of him, and yet you can see him in your visions."

"Didn't you have that problem?" Erica smirked.

"With Chamalla...not with a dream."

"If you remember, I did drink that tea with you before." She let her knuckles rest on the floor as she continued to look around. The air grew quiet with the exception of the hum of the ship, "This is going to sound crazy, but I feel like I've been here before."

Laura was uneasy with her daughter's familiarity with the Cylon baseship. She hated that her daughter shared genes with this race of people. Hated that she, herself, was duped into sleeping with someone that was not human and she had no willpower over it whatsoever. Duped into falling in love with someone from that race of people.

"I know you hate the idea, but I really think I might find answers if I touch the-"

"And what if you don't and you're poisoned? You share Danny's DNA. If the poison is still-"

Gaia picked her head up slightly, looking toward the older woman, "His name was Danny?"

Roslin swallowed, her emotions were getting the best of her, "Yes. I knew him as Danny. They called him Hutch and Slick at the bar where we frequented...where we met."

She turned her gaze back toward the walls, "What did he look like?"

Laura grew quiet, knowing her daughter meant no harm or ill will in her line of questioning, "He was tall...blonde. Had a voice like velvet. Eyes as blue as the night sky."

Gaia snorted, grinning, "So, when they say I'm a carbon copy of you-"

"They mean it." She shook her head slowly, offering her a sad smile, "You have absolutely none of his features, baby."

"I like music though...I like to paint. Did he like to paint?"

"He did. I did too. I...On Caprica...in Caprica City, in my apartment, I would paint watercolor and oils. I had stacks and stacks of stretched canvas in my closets...the ones I didn't hang on my walls..." Laura grinned, thinking back to all the space she didn't have because it was taken up by the stretched pieces of cloth, "When I was in college, I really liked acrylics though...and this is going to sound really gross, but you were conceived during a drunken night of painting. We...collaborated often, but..."

Erica shook her head, "Not gross...romantic."

"I couldn't paint with acrylics anymore after that." She hummed in approval to herself, smiling.

The young woman could see how much joy it brought her mother to talk about her father, she continued, "Did he leave because you were pregnant with me?"

"No, no...don't you ever think that, No." Laura leaned over slightly, relaxing, "I found out by going to the medic on campus and I ran to tell him, but...he had left the night before." She sighs, "Didn't tell me he was going...I don't think he wanted me to follow him."

"He sounds like a gypsy. He goes where his heart tells him to go." Erica raised an eyebrow, "Or the money tells him to..."

"It was different."

"It doesn't sound like it."

Laura swallowed, "His whole...his whole being was art. Music, painting...his whole entire life..." She shook her head softly, "His life was like...artwork." The room grew increasingly quiet.

"That's deep." Erica turned to her side, watching the woman.

"Yes..." She whispered, then cleared her throat after a few moments, "Will you tell me more about you?"

Gaia nodded, "What do you want to know?"

"Um..." Roslin looked increasingly uncomfortable, almost sad the longer she thought about it, "Your favorite color, when you lost your first tooth, what sports did you play..." Her face was beginning to betray her.

The young woman sat up after a minute, moved over to the other bench, and sat next to the President. She slowly wrapped her arms around the woman, "Violet, five, and pyramid in high school." She offered her a smile, "I'm sorry I brought him up."

She shook her head, "No, don't be sorry for seeking answers. Don't ever be sorry for that." Laura tilted her head back, attempting to keep her tears at bay. She reached a hand up to stroke her daughter's arm reassuringly, "Thank you."

Erica offered her a small smirk before glancing up and seeing a Six model staring at her, "Yes?" She sat up more.

The young woman moved closer, kneeling in front of her. "The one true God has graced us with your existence. He kept you in shadows only to make you reappear at the time we need you most. I can't help but think that it is a miracle."

Though she was used to mocking these people and brushing them off, Gaia tilted her head to the side slightly, "What is it you want me to do?"

"Bless me." The dirty blond version of this model tilted her head back, closing her eyes.

Laura smiled slightly, remembering a time when she was on the Astral Queen with Tom Zarek and the prisoners bowed and waited for her to bless them. She nodded.

Gaia bit her lip. She rested a hand on the Six's shoulder, "Why do you want me to bless you?" She asked her quietly.

Opening her eyes, she looked to the younger woman, "I am plagued with dreams of what...while we were on New Caprica, many of my sisters suffered terrible deaths at the hands of the Resistance and others...It...it's spread amongst our stream, each death running into another and...It's very..." She had tears in her eyes, her jaw tightening.

Something about this model caused Erica to feel sorry for her. She was guilty of killing plenty of them while on New Caprica, their compassionate nature making the line an easy target as a whole. "I'm sorry for your pain, but we did what we had to do to survive there. Your model...I wish we could have acted differently with you...really." She leaned forward, kissing the young Cylon on the forehead, "May you all find peace." She nodded, watching as the Cylon rose to her feet and left them.

"You were great." Laura grinned.

"I was soft.'

"You spoke from the heart."

"Soft." Gaia rose from the chair, choosing to pace slowly.

Laura stood and walked to her, placing her hands on the young woman's upper arms to steady her from her pacing. "Listen, you're right up there with Hera to these people and to our people...to the humans."

"I'm not one of your people anymore. I'm a whole different thing. I'm part machine, part flesh and blood. I don't understand any of it. I no longer understand who I am, more or less what I am anymore."

"You are my daughter. That's all you ever need to worry about." She bit the corner of her mouth, not expecting much reaction from the young woman. Laura knew the girl didn't regard her highly, but she was coming around quickly. The transfusion was proof of that. The young woman was unpredictable, Laura knew that too.

Gaia swallowed, leaning forward and hugging her tightly. She closed her eyes when the symbol of affection was returned to her, "I wish I would have known sooner." She whispered in her ear.

Laura looked toward the ceiling, attempting to keep her tears at bay, "Me too."

The ship begins to shake when they're hit by Cavil's forces. A Two appears in the doorway, "Gaia, Madam President, we need to get you both to a safer location."

Gaia's eyes widen when he's shot on the side of the head, crumpling to the floor. "You have to stay here." She nods to her mother, letting her go. She starts to walk toward the doorway, only to be blocked by a model Four. A model she was accustomed to.

The four raises his weapon at her, ready to fire, only to drop his arm and have his eyes roll to the back of his head, another Four stepping over him. "Erica." He swallowed, nodding to the President.

Erica looks to the two dead Cylon models on the floor, she looks to the other, "Simon?"

The dark skinned Cylon nodded, leaned forward, and kissed her passionately on the lips. When they broke, he glanced between the two women, "I will not harm either of you. I want to ensure your safety."

Laura shook her head, "Erica, don't do it. Don't play into his trap."

"These other...the other models...They all know me by my callsign. They all know me as Gaia." The young woman reached a hand up and touched his face, "Simon never once called me that. Always said my parents gave me a name, I shouldn't be confused by the system." Erica grinned, "You downloaded?"

Simon nods, "Cavil has been guarding the technology. The rebels and the humans have been trying to destroy it."

"Where do you lie in that?" Laura's voice was forceful. She didn't trust this man, and with due cause. She remembered the experiments he performed by Cavil's order while they were on New Caprica. She remembered the people he poked and prodded just to see how they worked inside. She remembered the screaming throughout the halls of the Detention Center.

"I don't know." He shook his head, "However, if I have the chance to give my life up for the woman that I..." He paused, "If I have the chance to get you both to safety, I'm going to take it."

Erica turned to her mother, holding a hand out.

"If I start to doubt your motives, I'll put a bullet in your head myself." Laura mumbled, walking to her daughter and following them through the hectic hallways.

Gaia kills other Loyal Cylons, still staying close to her mother and the one she knows as her former boyfriend, Simon. She doesn't need to steady herself, just picking the blaster up to her eye level and firing, causing a fatal hit almost each time.

Simon leads them to one of the edges of the basestar's wing. "In here." He nodded, the door closing like muscles of a living thing. "Okay."

"You okay?" Gaia glanced to her mother, looking her up and down to see if she noticed any blood or bruising.

Roslin grinned, "Yes. I haven't felt this alive in months." She touched the young woman's arm, "You?"

"Golden." She nodded, looking back to Simon, "Now what?"

Simon swallowed, "He's looking for you. He wants to take you to the Colony. He wants to see how you work. Do experiments."

"Who does?" Erica watched him.

"Cavil. That's why he's trying to get the one they call Hera. He'll kill anyone that stands in his way. Including the President." His deep voice struck a chord in the young woman's chest as it always had. He glances to the older woman, "I'm sorry."

"It isn't going to happen. I'm not going to let it happen." Gaia glared at him, "Simon, I swear to the gods-"

"I realized who I was on New Caprica. I realized what I stood for when I spent time with you. I realized that I wasn't a slave to my programming and I could step out of the mold...Like the Sixes or the Eights. I could do that too." Simon shook his head, watching her, "Don't doubt me now."

Roslin didn't like this. She didn't like how must trust her child was putting in the Cylon. She grabs the young woman by the arm, pulling her to the side, "Don't trust him." She whispered to her, "This is what they want."

Gaia swallowed, her emerald eyes meeting that of her mother, "I have to." She whispered.

"No. This is what they do. Kara Thrace was haunted by one on New Caprica. He kept her locked in an apartment for months...almost a year. He nearly brainwashed her into loving him. I can't let that happen to you too."

"I was engaged to this man until the one who piloted us over, shot him and killed him. He wouldn't have hurt us then and he isn't going to hurt us now."

"Wake up." Laura darted her tongue out to lick her lips, "Cavil walks in here and he will turn on us. He will turn on you."

"And what if he doesn't?"

"Then I guess we're lucky." She sighed, keeping a close eye on the tall man.

Gaia turned, watching him, "If I give myself to Cavil, will this all stop?"

"You aren't giving yourself to Cavil." Simon shook his head, "It will never stop with him until all humans are destroyed." He takes a seat on top of a crate, "Besides, I wouldn't let you anyway."

"What will happen if I touch the water...upstairs, where all the Rebels are-"

"The data stream?"

"Yes. Will I be poisoned if I touch it?" Erica rested her hands on her hips.

Simon glanced back over toward her, "I don't know. You'd be safer sitting audience to the hybrid. You wouldn't be poisoned by touching her fluid and it would have the same effect."

"How can I get there?"

"When Cavil leaves, when he believes you aren't here, I will take you."

"No, you will be arrested or killed. The Rebels will kill you and you know that." Laura Roslin slowly sank to the floor, folding her legs underneath her, "You haven't anything to gain or lose by doing this except your life."

Simon smirked, "I have gained something. An extra hour or two with the woman I love before I die."

"Maybe we can...maybe they'll only hold you prisoner after resurrection technology is eradicated." Gaia couldn't look at him, tears rested in her eyes.

"We all know that isn't how that works." He shook his head, "You'll be fine."

Laura could feel the sadness radiating off of her daughter. She glanced to her daughter, "Come sit."

Gaia paused and glanced to him. "If I'm going to lose you, I'd rather it be during something you believe in instead of someone ripping you from me."

Simon stood and walked over to her, kissing her deeply.

"Okay, this is not something I want to see." The older woman sighed, adjusting her position on the floor.

He smirked, holding Gaia's hand and walking behind another large crate, out of view of the President.

"Don't care to hear it either." Laura placed her hands over her ears, watching the living hatch for movement.


	12. Chapter 12

A single shot. Just one. Laura Roslin heard it unmistakingly. She slowly removed her hands from covering her ears as she rose from the floor, glancing over to the crates where her daughter and the Four went behind to do gods know what. That was a lie. She knew exactly what they were doing, but she knew there was also a shot from a blaster. She felt almost frozen in her place. Never fully trust a cylon.

Blood splattered on her face. The young woman stumbled out from behind the tall crates, sweeping an arm across her forehead. She looked to her mother, "Don't go back there." Gaia said softly.

"What did you..."

"Don't worry about what I did. Just don't go back there. Alright?" She swallowed, moving over to the door, "We need to get out of here. I'd rather we find the fight instead of the fight finding us.*

Laura stared at the young woman, attempting to assess her slightly, "We are ill equipped to look for fights..."

"No shit. That's why we don't get caught. The hybrid is going to protect me. This hybrid. Do you get that?"

This was a side to this young woman that Laura had not been accustomed to in the short amount of time she's known her, "Erica, are you okay?" Something was off. Something she couldn't place with this young woman. She raised an eyebrow, knowing she was quite similar at that age.

Gaia nodded, bending her dominant hand at the wrist and placing her wrist at her top lip, attempting to control her emotions. Her pistol dangled from her finger slightly, It wasn't going well. "I'm going to protect you. I'm going to get you out of here and...we'll get to safety."

"I'm not the important one here. You are." Roslin stepped closer to the woman, "Look at me, please."

"No. No, because it will all mean nothing if I don't do it this way. I...I did all of it for nothing." Erica swallowed, peeking through the small crack to see if the hall was occupied. She cleared her throat and shook her head, "Come on."

The older woman didn't want to ask any questions. That could come later. It would send a ripple through this already delicate relationship and that was the last thing she wanted. Laura nodded, taking the young woman's hand as they moved through the corridor.

_A music hall. Almost resembling her music class from the second grade, however much more sophisticated. Numerous halls all looking alike with ever so slight differences._

"The frak..." Gaia mumbled, pausing and quickly moving out of the way as a centurion was about to pass. She held her pistol up, ready to protect herself and the life of the President. It paused however and offered her its metal claw, "You're friendly." She glanced to her mother, then back to the large metal being, "Protect her no matter what. Take her to safety." The centurion seemed to understand. Laura Roslin looked less than convinced. "Don't worry."

"_Tejera. Tejera, you're going to get it."_

The young woman turned, expecting to see that of her friend Avilla, only to find another empty smokey hall. "What is happening?" She whispered to herself, trying to keep pace with the centurion and look for a cause to the sudden changes in scenery.

"_Project! Project with your voice, Miss Tejera."_

"Why are these happening right now?" Gaia brought her pistol up to look down the sights as an angry Five model neared her. One shot taken, hitting him square in the chest and causing him to collapse.

Laura watched the young woman as she, herself, was nearly lifted by the metal beast, "Erica, are you okay?" She called to her. Unbelieving that a child coming from her would be even a decent shot, more or less such a warrior.

"I'm fine. Keep going. Don't stop." Gaia called, shooting a few other enemy models as she forged through with the large centurion. When the tall figure came to a stop, she nearly ran into him. She smiled, realizing they were with some of the other friendly models. "You can put her down. Thank you."

Roslin trembled slightly as she was lowered by the large imposing figure.

"You okay?" Erica held her hand again.

"_Tejera, could you not be the smartest kid in the room for like two seconds."_

She knew that voice. Her friend Thomas. Her first kiss in seventh grade. He was athletic and caring and she liked that about him. Gaia smiled slightly, looking out onto the room full of people. The Sixes seemed most interested in her. The inquisitive looks from the Eights worried her. The smirks and side glances from the Twos made her skin crawl. This was not a group she could trust in the least, but the gentleness of the centurion surprised her. It gave her a newfound sense of hope.

A Six model with honey colored lochs approached her, holding out her hand, "Child of-"

"Please, don't do that." Erica looked at the taller woman and walked past her, "I know what you want of me since you can't have it with Hera Agathon."

She nodded, "They call me Lida. What would you prefer I call you?"

"Just...Gaia. Always Gaia."

"From the human god for the Earth." Lida smiled, "How did you get that?"

Erica couldn't take her eyes off of the data stream console, "I excelled at ground combat. I set the standard for the others, my instructor told me. Gaia was where everything else..." She stopped herself, everything had a meaning all along. Earth was found to be the Cylon homeworld. There was a precursor before her and she didn't even realize it.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, then glanced to her mother a moment before returning her eyes to meet those of the beautiful blond before her, "I must speak with the President a moment, if you'll excuse me."

Laura looked to her daughter, her eyes widening slightly when the young woman wrapped her arms around her, "What's wrong?" She whispered.

"I have reason to believe I have a sister. I don't know of their identity and obviously they don't know of mine." Erica matched the woman's tone, "These cylons don't know much about my father, but I fear it may be opening a whole new can of worms if I-"

She wrapped her arms around the young woman in return, "Erica, you do what you want. I don't believe you should touch the stream. I fear it could harm you given the destruction of-"

"That's just it. How do we know he's dead? How do we know it isn't like that Three model...D'Anna? How do we know it's not like that and he's blending in because there are no other copies and he's just himself? Just like any other human."

"We don't know anything." Roslin shook her head, "I don't want anything to happen to you, Erica, do you understand that?"

Gaia nodded, "I...I know we've only just recently become re-acquainted with one another and..." She swallowed and met the bald woman's eyes, "You're all I got left here. I need to find out my father's side though...Hell, I don't even know if it will do anything if I touch that stuff, but I have to try."

"The risk is too-" Laura closed her eyes, pulling the young woman closer, attempting to shield herself from the Cylons. She didn't want them to see her weak, "The risk is too much."

"If it's something that could save everyone, I'm willing to try." Erica nodded, letting her mother actually hold her instead of quickly pushing her away.

"I understand." There were many times Laura Roslin was willing to give up her life to be the savior to the Humans. Everyone there knew that.

"Apples don't fall far from the tree." Lida watched them and offered a smile, outstretching her hand, "You can come too, Madam President."

"What for? I know I can't do anything if-"

"There is nothing to fear."

Erica looked to her mother and smirked. "See?" She walks past the cylon and touches the water-like data stream with a sense of bravery and almost longing.

_Hands touch an old piano with familiar dexterity. The music is the drug of choice. A masterpiece flows through the tips of the fingers. Something familiar. Reaching up, he touches the recording device to stop. He ejects the small tape with a smile._

She pulls her hand from the liquid, examining her palm. A smirk creeps across her face before placing her hand back.

_"You need to choose, Drilde. Us or that frakking piano?" The woman was blonde and muscular. A pilot, her navy colored colonial garb gave it away. Angry._

_"Don't do that. Do not make me choose." His voice smooth, from the pit of his throat. The type to hit you in the chest with every word, "You won't like the answer, Socrata."_

_A flash of light. As if shuffling through important events._

_A romantically lit bedroom. Beautifully decorated. Paintings covering every inch of wall like a collage. Rising from the bed, he moves through the apartment as if he's been here many times before. The wide window across from the bed overlooking the city. A beautiful woman stands in front of the bathroom sink, brushing her teeth. Her long auburn hair cascades over her thin frame._

_Wrapping his arms around her, he kisses her neck, smiling. "Good morning, beautiful."_

_She grins, picking a hand up to touch his bearded face as it rests on her shoulder, looking in the mirror. She turns against him, kissing his lips passionately. "That piece from last night...that was spectacular."_

"_No. That was terrible. I've done better." He smirks, running his fingers through her hair, "I do love watching you dance though."_

"_Oh, gods. I'm not a dancer." The woman grins, "I was...I was drunk."_

"_I know. I still love it." He grins, "I love you."_

"_Danny, I..." Her head moves to the side as she grins and what appears to be tears form in her eyes, "I love you too."_

"_Now...you have class in thirty. You better hurry, Laura."_

Erica quickly pulls her hand from the liquid again, "Okay...I really...I really didn't need to see that last one."

"Was there anything important?" Lida smiled to her.

"Are you feeling okay?" Laura shook her head, placing her hand onto her daughter's cheek. The worst was running through her mind. What if the same strain of whatever Cavil put into the Seven line would also course through her daughter's veins? This was what she was most afraid of.

"Yes, it didn't...I'm fine." Gaia licked her lips, "It wasn't information important to cylons or humans. It was information important to him. I'm seeing all Daniel's memories. The ones that shaped who he was. The ones that pass on through cylon models in order to help them better prepare for rebirth."

Lida nodded, "Will you continue to search?"

"Yes...absolutely. If you need me to." She offered the woman a smile, "I believe I just need some time to...decompress. A nap or something..." She shrugged, "Something to unwind."

Laura motioned to the side, the area where they were before. She wrapped her arm around the young woman as they walked. "You'll tell me what you saw?"

"That wouldn't be very fair." She grinned.

"You saw his memories?"

"Yes."

"Such as?" They reached the room containing the hybrid, the place was surrounded by the large centurions. They would be safest there. Laura lowered herself to the floor, making herself comfortable.

Erica sunk herself down next to her mother, watching the hybrid mutter absolutely nothing but gibberish for the most part, "Why do you need to know the unimportant things?"

"Because I want to know everything." The older woman couldn't bring herself to admit that some part of her still missed the man, regardless of what he actually was. He was something different to her. One of the greatest loves of her life. "What did you see?"

"He was a piano player. There was no effort when his fingers touched the keys." She mimics ever so slightly with her own hands, "It flowed through him."

Laura smiled softly, thinking back to a night in the bar where he played. After class, she and her friends would go and be mesmerized by his tunes. She didn't have many friends, but a couple very close ones.

"_Who wrote that piece?" A younger, long haired Laura Roslin leans over the piano top, looking to the player who was taking a short break._

"_No one." The blonde haired man shook his head, "I just made it up."_

"_You're kidding."_

"_No, it was..." He motioned to the empty page tray in front of him, "I make most of them up. Just something I do. A hobby, I guess."_

"_That's...an incredible hobby." Laura nodded, outstretching her hand toward him, "I'm Laura."_

_He nodded, "Danny...people around here call me Slick."_

"_Well, Slick. You've found a fan in me." She smirked._

"_Could I...Would you like a drink?" Daniel motioned toward the bar. While he played, he obtained his drinks for free, which was customary for the places he played in._

"_Yeah okay. Ambrosia on the rocks." Laura watched him, her emerald eyes staring into his ocean blue ones. She was oftentimes shy, but the passion of art that illuminated off of this man caused her to want him._

_He chuckled, calling the drink over before looking to the woman in front of him, "Strong drink for such a beautiful woman."_

_She shrugs, "Who says I'm not strong like my drinks?"_

"_Fair enough." Daniel chuckled._

"He wrote me a song. We were sitting there and he just wrote me this beautiful classical piece right off the top of his head. It was incredible." Laura nodded, looking over to the woman next to her, "Most amazing thing I've ever..."

Gaia grinned, watching her, "He was married before you. A soldier. Blonde with blue eyes, like him, but her eyes were...more crystal. A lighter shade of blue. She was pretty, but she was hardened."

"Hardened?"

"Yeah, like...there was an aura about her...evil. She meant well, but went about the wrong way of doing things."

Laura listened closely, nodding, "Opposite of him."

Erica smiled, "Very much so."

The older woman's gaze turned back to the Hybrid, the room quiet except for the hum of the ship and the mumblings of the person in the pool of fluid.

"You should paint again." Erica finally says.

Laura slowly grins, turning her attention back to her daughter, "Excuse me?"

"Your artwork was beautiful. You should paint again."

"I have no supplies, I have no..." She shrugs, "I have no inspiration."

"Sometimes it takes a paintbrush in your hand to give it movement...to put life into a page. I'm sure we could find things for you."

"That was a time in my life when I had things that inspire me."

Erica shakes her head, "Bullshit."

"What?"

"You were given a second...now third chance at life. You've seen destruction before your eyes. You were imprisoned and tortured for information and to send a message. You were a teacher who joined the same profession as her mother, only to watch her mother slowly slip away to the afterlife. You were the remaining survivor after the car accident that ripped your father and sisters away. You were the survivor after the cylons came to the colonies and blew them all to hell." Gaia laughed, "Laura Roslin, you are a miracle in and of yourself. Obviously, the gods have bigger plans for you."

"I'd love to know what." Laura sighed, then leisurely looked over toward her daughter, "You saw Slick and I?"

"Of course I did. You were a part of his life." The younger woman smiled, "You were beautiful in college." She nodded, "He loved you so much. Your...The artist in you was his passion. His reason for living. That's why he left like he did. He didn't want to see you hurt."

"How would he have hurt me though. I can't understand it." Laura shook her head slowly.

"He knew of Cavil trying to find him, someone wanted him dead.. He could feel it though he didn't know he was a cylon. He was a sleeper." Erica pulls her legs underneath her to get more comfortable, "It's why he chose the piano over his first family."

She nods, "How long was it between him leaving them to...he and I.."

"Few years. Three, I think." She looks to the Hybrid again, "If I touch her liquid, it's like touching what's out there, right?"

Laura looks to her, "I wouldn't."

"You didn't want me to do it the last time." Erica smirks, crawling over to the woman in the fluid.

"...Child of Seven has returned..." The Hybrid smiles toward her.

Gaia nods, reaching toward the fluid, "Yes, I have."


	13. Chapter 13

"Jump." The Hybrid yelled, echoing about the room.

"_Here, play like this. Fingers on these keys." Daniel shows a young blond girl who is sitting at the bench next to him. "Very good, baby." He smiles when she does as he had just shown her._

Laura kneeled next to her daughter's unconscious body, stroking her hair, "I knew it was a bad idea. Erica. Erica, can you hear me?"

"The child of Seven rests, but rests with the new day-" The hybrid rambled, "She searches for the other."

She sighed, "What other are you referring to?"

"The sum of two parts coffee grinds to three parts milk makes an amazing-"

"Answer my question, please. Answer my question."

Gaius Baltar slipped into the room, running a hand through his hair, "Madam President?"

"She..." Laura glanced over to the man, shaking her head slowly.

"Your daughter is a hybrid like Hera Agathon." He couldn't help but smirk, "Who would have thought our fearless leader was the one to successfully bare a child of both races...To think you wanted to kill the Agathon child-"

"Shut up." She mumbled, "You were successful in talking to her before, I need to know what happened to Erica."

"Yes, and what do I get out of it?"

"Your life." Laura gave him a look, "Or I throw you out of the nearest airlock, heartless-"

Baltar raised a hand, "Alright. No threats needed. Are you always this threatening?" He sighed when he's met with her glare, "Is she alright?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking your assistance."

He kneeled next to the young woman and the President, placing his fingers at her neck to check for a pulse, "Strong. I'm not a medical doctor though. She's breathing. When did she-"

Laura swallowed, unsure of her daughter's safety and wanting to protect her, "The Hybrid jumped the ship when she touched the...and..."

"She's tied in to the Hybrid's stream then." He grinned.

"_You need to stop moving. We're safe where we are." Erica shakes her head, hiding behind a large boulder in the New Caprican forest, "Can we just relax for five frakking minutes?"_

_Simon shakes his head, "We're out in the open. We need to at least find a place or build shelter or something to protect us more."_

"_You...You have no idea. They aren't coming anytime soon. Those things are louder than...I don't even know., we can hear them for-"_

_He shakes his head, "Please, I'm not letting anything happen to you. Not before we get back to the President and her group."_

"_Not everyone is supposed to know about that." Erica smirks._

"_Enough people do. If it helps Adama find us and get us out of here, I'll do all I can." Simon's eyes glisten with pride, "You're one of the best. With Kara Thrace missing, you're the only hope of success they have. Especially when it comes to ground combat."_

"_Just because you sleep with me doesn't mean you have to flatter me all the time." She shakes her head, motioning over the hill, "There's our meeting spot."_

"_Gaia." An older woman moves over to her, dressed in white and carrying no weapons._

"_Lady, you're going to be hurt." Erica shakes her head, pulling her down. She looks her over, "How did you even get out here without being shot? Are you..." She picks up her pistol, pointing it at the woman's head, "Start explaining."_

"_I'm not here to hurt you. You can no longer meet at the rendezvous point. It is no longer safe." The woman smiles to her._

_Erica glances over to Simon who looks as if he's unable to see this older woman with them, "What will happen?"_

"_Relocate to the underground bunker in the settlement. Protect the child." The older woman touches Gaia's face before leaning in and kissing her lips tenderly._

_The younger woman closes her eyes for a moment, opening them only to realize the woman was gone. She swallows, "Simon, we have to get back to town."_

"_What? We just-"_

"_I don't care. Something tells me it isn't safe anymore." She clears her throat, "You'll be fine. I'll tell them that you're with me." She stands, leaning in and kissing his lips, smiling to him. His face severely burnt, but it doesn't faze her, never has._

Gaia rolled onto her back, pulling her hand from the liquid, and gasping for air. "Frak." She croaks.

"Oh thank gods." Laura mumbled, stroking the young woman's hair. She offered her a smile, "Had me worried."

Baltar rolled his eyes, "Not very." He folded his arms.

Erica propelled herself backwards with her forearms, looking at the Hybrid when she stops, "She say anything?"

"Just that you were looking for the other." Laura watched her daughter, "Anything on your end this time?"

Gaia paused, smirking a little, "Do you remember Sam talking about the ambush at-"

"Clovers Hill. Of course. Loss some of our best people that day. They even tried to come after the bunker."

"Snitch gave us up." She nodded, "Right. I was supposed to be on the hill that day. Someone told me to turn back and return to-"

"I remember you being there. I remember you and-"

"Simon. It was Simon." Erica swallowed, "You were holding the little girl. I don't know where Maya was."

"Have the two of you completed your pleasantries?" Gaius shook his head, "My time is valuable as well, you know."

The younger woman began to laugh while her mother opted to glare at the man, "So valuable. What could you possibly do with all of your time?" She replies sarcastically.

"Yes, well." He picked his chin up, "Lieutenant, are you having visions when you touch the cylon fluid?"

"Yes." She replied simply, not wanting to give much information to a man who couldn't be trusted.

"Are they your own memories?" He grinned when her face didn't falter, "Or are they your own combined with those of the illustrious Seven, your father..." Baltar didn't receive an answer, instead he was met with identical steely gazes from mother and daughter, "I assume that is your way of agreeing on both accounts."

"It's none of your damn business what I see or don't see." Gaia shook her head, "If it wouldn't inspire the mutiny of your followers toward members of the government and military, I'd kill you right here, right now. That is how much I hate you."

"-The other stands amongst God's children-" The Hybrid mumbled among other things.

"With the fleet." She grinned, "The other is with the fleet." Erica slowly stood, laughing to herself.

Laura watched the young woman as she began to pace, "I'm sure we'll be able to find her."

"There's another one of you?" Baltar smirked, looking to the Hybrid, "The children of Seven. Tell us more." He demanded in a commanding voice, "We need to know more about the children of Seven." He didn't see it as he was tackled away from the woman in the tub.

Gaia straddled him, pointing her side arm to his head, "It's none of your business. You need to go away now."

The older woman watched as her daughter reacted so quickly. Why was she so secretive about this? What all did she find out by touching the fluid?

"-Inbound. We have returned.-" The hybrid stared at the ceiling.

Laura grinned, getting up and returning to the area with the rest of the other cylons.

"You're lucky." Erica climbed off of the man, waiting until he left the room to look to the Hybrid for a final time. She smiled, "Thank you for saving my life on New Caprica." She kneeled, kissing the woman submersed in the fluid before standing. For a few moments, the Hybrid fell silent. It was something she hadn't heard since her arrival aboard the ship. She chuckled to herself.

"The one you seek, you already know." The Hybrid looked into her eyes, "You will find her." With that, the woman fell into her common rambling.

She swallowed, returning to be next to her mother as they boarded their raptor in order to return to Galactica. She parted ways with her mother once they landed, Gaia knew where the woman would go. She, however, is met with the smiling eyes of Lee Adama.

"Well, I sure as hell didn't think you guys would come back." He smirked to her, "Cottle wanted to see you upon your arrival."

"Are you his errand boy?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No, however, I wanted to thank you for protecting the President."

"There was nothing to protect her from. We were bombarded, but we held our own. All of us." Gaia swallowed hard, "Did you swallow an awkward pill or something? Is there a reason you met me up here? I mean, you're politics now, right?"

"Well, with the President...you know, my entire career choice is in limbo."

"How do you figure, Apollo?" She shook her head, "You were hand chosen by my mo... Laura Roslin over her VP, the one who helped the resistance and by proxy, helped her regain the presidency after Gaius Baltar frakked it up. She picked you. I think its safe to say your career is safe."

Lee continued to follow her. "Fine, whatever, I'm just congratulating you on a job well done."

"I didn't do anything." She replied again, then paused in the hallway, "Is there something else?"

"I was curious, would you like to grab a drink with me?"

Erica began to smirk, "I killed the love of my life barely a day ago. Not only have I seen him die once, I've seen him die twice with the second being by my own hand." The smirk was now faded, "So, Vice President Apollo, tell me. Do you think I want to have a drink with you?"

Staring at her, he reached a hand out to touch her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Gaia, I-"

"Save your sympathy for someone who gives a frak. If I want to drink, I will do it on my own time."

"You won't even let me at least buy you a round?"

"In quite comfortable buying my own round and since Laura and your father are probably doing their own celebrating elsewhere on this ship, where does one eat here when not in their rack?"

Lee nodded, motioning her to follow him, "Just this way."

Gaia cautiously followed him down one hall and another until finally reaching the pilot's mess. She picks her head up, looking around to the men and women. Not only was she not a pilot, she was an outsider.

Starbuck grinned, standing from her seat with her usual top gun stein clenched in her fist, "You deserve a drink." She handed it to the other woman, pouring more of the grain alcohol they made aboard the ship.

She smirked, watching the ever so slightly older woman, "Thanks." She glanced over toward the Eight model dressed in the usual pilot attire, knowing instantly who she was. The woman stared at her, untrusting. The taller man next to her stood and offered his hand.

"Welcome to the club." He grinned. Her gaze fell to his tags, catching the name Agathon.

"Thanks." Erica took his hand, shaking it, "What do they call you?"

"Helo." Karl Agathon nodded, "That's my wife, Athena."

"Yes, whether you know it or not, you're kind of famous in the outer fleet."

He shrugged, "All good things I hope."

"Not all of them, but you're alright with me." Gaia smiled, "Anyone who protects this fleet is fine with me regardless of their race." She tilted her head to the side, offering Athena a smirk, "Besides, you were just with my mother and I. Did I wish you any ill will then?"

"Wait, your mother?" Karl shook his head, looking back and forth between them.

"Erica Tejera's mother is none other than our very own President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin." Kara caught Helo's eye with a knowing glance

"She brought a Four on board knowing full well that he was among the enemy models." Sharon shook her head, "So no, regardless of your might against the enemy models while on board the basestar and what you are, I still don't trust you." She raised from her seat, walking closer to her, "Your mother can't be trusted and neither can you." Finally, Sharon Agathon left the room, leaving her husband to his own devices.

Karl sighed, "Sorry for that, she isn't usually-"

"Don't apologize for her. She wouldn't want it." Erica looked to him, "It's okay." She patted the man on the shoulder before moving past him and taking a seat, "Starbuck, what's good here?"

"Nothing, but it's food so you'll eat it." Kara smirked, noticing everyone else's uneasy looks about an outsider, "Ignore them."

"I already am." She smirked, hearing music in the back of her mind. Not so much a song, but a melody, "What do you do here for fun?"

"Drink." Starbuck nodded, "I don't know if there's anything else. There's little things at the bar. Arcade Pyramid. Sam used to be really good at that."

"He your husband?"

"Yeah." She swallowed, "In a coma now in Sick Bay."

Gaia sighed, shaking her head, "Sorry to hear that."

"I still have him though. He's not gone yet."

"Down, but not out?"

"Exactly." Starbuck smirked.

"You know, I actually used to be really good at Pyramid back in the day. Played a lot in High School." She shrugged, "You any good?"

"I know a thing or two." She nodded.

Hotdog leaned over from the table adjacent to the women, "Who is your new friend?" He smirked to the young woman.

"Gaia." Starbuck looked to Erica, "And she's not going to see your bunk with you, so don't ask."

"Is that really your pick up line?" Gaia raised an eyebrow.

"If that's what you want to call it." She chuckled softly, mostly to herself. There was something about this other young women. Kara never had many friends. She was always better or couldn't trust the other person, having been burned too many times. Gaia was different, and Starbuck couldn't really tell why.


	14. Chapter 14

Bill chuckled softly to himself, looking as her figure entered his quarters, "I didn't think you'd be coming back." He stands slowly, "No, that's a damn lie. I knew you wouldn't go down that easily."

Laura hummed with a smile, her chin trembled slightly, "I gotta be honest, Bill, I've never been happier to see you." She nodded, moving forward to his awaiting arms, allowing him to envelop her. Tilting her head up, she kissed him deeply. She needed his presence close to her.

"Want to tell me what went on while you were away?" He softly kissed the scarf covering her head.

"Not particularly, but I guess you want to know." She swallowed, looking to the ceiling of the room in an attempt to keep herself from crying, "Enemy cylons boarded. We were...essentially, shit out of luck." She offered him a smirk, "You should have seen Erica with a blaster. Would make you proud."

"Something about that girl. Besides being from you and...and what she is, there's something about her I've seen before." Adama nodded his head slowly, holding her tighter, "Managed to save your life twice now and all I did was put her in the brig."

"Don't feel guilty. You did what you needed to do. You did what you thought was right." Laura listened to him, "It's...You'll let her off the hook?"

"Absolutely." He nodded, waiting a moment as he continued to hold her, "She protected you?"

"Yes, the centurions? They listened to her, as if she owned them herself. Bill, it was incredible." She moved away from him, taking a seat on the bed and looked to the floor in an attempt to collect her thoughts, "The cylon she was with, the...Number Four? I forget what she calls him. He was able to regenerate. He helped us to safety."

"And then?"

"She lured him behind crates with the implication that they would..." Laura swallowed, then looked up to meet his eyes, "And she killed him. Just like that. I'm unsure if they actually did anything, but she shot him regardless."

Bill nodded slowly, folding his arms, "So, you're telling me that she's ruthless."

"No, well..yes. I suppose I am, in a way." She bites her lip, "She could have let the Four who helped us live."

"Or she's using her knowledge as a soldier to eliminate the threat before it becomes more." He ran a hand through his hair, "You know the Four is not an allied model. Did you want her to save it?"

"I wanted her to show compassion. I wanted her to show that she..." Laura swallowed, shaking her head, "I wanted her to show that she's different from them."

"Laura." Bill sighed, leaning against his desk as he looked at her, "Did her father show compassion?"

"Yes." She answered simply, not wanting to delve into that chapter of her life with Bill yet.

"Obviously. That was before we knew anything about the cylon's plan." He nods, "I'm betting, though they didn't know it and Cavil probably thought he rid the worlds of the Seven model, this makes Gaia more important than Hera."

"I would have seen that while I was taking Chamala, Bill." Laura shook her head slowly, "I would have seen something representing her."

"The...The opera house things?"

She nodded slowly blankly looking past him in an attempt to remember if she ever had, "No, I don't believe she was there at all."

Bill watched her intently, "Maybe it's different now. You aren't the dying leader you once were."

"I don't know." Laura stood, placing her hands on her hips and pacing to and fro, "If I'm not, who is then?"

He stops her, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Laura, you need to stop. You're overthinking things."

"No." She sighs softly, leaning her head against his chest, "To be honest, I'm worried. I was prepared to die. I am prepared still."

"We're all going to die sooner or later, Laura." Adama's hand gently massaged her lower back absently, "It isn't too far from the truth. Don't think too much about it."

"I do though. I have a daughter again, Bill, and...I have another chance at life."

"I know." He kisses her temple softly, "And I couldn't be more thankful for it."

She closes her eyes softly, "This has all been a lot on you. You've been thinking I was going to die and now...and you weren't planning on me sticking around longer."

"No, I was not." Adama answers honestly, watching her.

Laura paused, slowly moving her head back so she could look into his eyes, "Are you disappointed?"

He hummed, then paused a moment before shaking his head, "The opposite of that." The admiral leaned in, holding her face in place with a gentle hand to her jaw before kissing her deeply, "Very happy." His voice was gruff and emotional.

She smiled blissfully, "I've grown accustomed to not having hair. I'll probably just shave it off when it starts growing back."

"And I'd still love you." He smirked softly, "You're already looking well. This is working faster than last time."

Laura nodded, "Cottle said something about it working faster because we are blood relatives, unlike Hera."

"You knew Hera would work way before Gaia was found. Why didn't you-"

"Because I hurt the Agathons enough for a lifetime. I won't hurt that little girl."

"You kept her safe for over a year, Laura. When will the time come that you forgive yourself?" Bill watched her still, "Helo says she still talks about you. She remembers the time you spent together on New Caprica."

"She was only an infant." Laura shook her head slowly, knowing her daughter could remember most things from when she was small as well and stopped herself,, "She remembers it?"

"And that young woman you gave her to."

"Maya." The woman began to smile, "How about that..." It wasn't so much a question as it was a realization that all she did wasn't done in vain, "I'd used to rock her to sleep at night. It was...just the two of us. Maya would be asleep because I knew she was exhausted from helping me and raising Isis, which was her name then. It was one of the few times I felt at peace while on that planet."

"So, stop overthinking things. You're still the president. You're still the love of my life." Bill's raspy voice always caused a shiver up her spine, "And my schedule is clear unless I'm called, I'm sure yours is as well."

"Oh? How can you be so sure, Admiral?" Laura raised an eyebrow.

"Because you still have a reduced workload. Lee is still covering most things for you. He can take on as much or as little as you want him to." He kissed her neck again, the space between her jaw and her earlobe, "So let's celebrate."

"Yes, Sir." Laura grinned broadly, holding onto him as if her life depended on it once more.

Lee Adama rounded another corridor, catching sight of the younger Roslin jogging through the corridors as well. He smirked, walking quickly next to her, "Ms. Roslin-"

"Haven't we gone over this already? It's Tejera." Erica paid him no real attention, just looking out in front of her as to not run into anyone.

"Sorry, Ms. Tejera. I wanted to thank you for saving the President's life."

"Mr. Adama-" She warned.

"No, wait, listen-"

"I can't. Now, you can either run with me or leave me alone."

Lee continued to keep up pace with her, "It's a very brave thing you did."

"It's just blood." Erica mumbled, her pace was almost galloping, "You've done more brave things than I've ever done."

"No, by you saving your mother, and outing yourself as a cylon and human hybrid-"

She suddenly stopped, bringing a hand to his throat, "I am human." Her demeanor was dark, foreboding. Like a stormy rain cloud.

"Except you aren't, are you...Baltar has been professing about you since you returned." Lee watched her intently. There was something about the young woman that drove him wild, while the back of his mind danced memories of his wife and Kara Thrace. Some fire that he saw.

Erica released him, nodding, "Sorry. I'm just..." She shook her head, glancing around to the hallway that was bustling with people, "Want to go somewhere to talk?"

"Yeah, okay." He nodded, leading her down a few halls and finally to a small room, "I like to come here to think sometimes." He motioned to the outfitted room, complete with a cot and sofa among other things.

She slowly stepped through the threshold, slowly smirking, "You just keep this room handy?"

"I know how this must look."

"You have no idea.'

Lee chuckled, "I was getting it ready for the President while she was receiving her treatments, she'd have a place to stay. That was before I became painfully aware that she and my father were..."

Erica smirked, laughing a little to herself at his discomfort, "Frakking. Go on, Lee, you can say it."

"Just because I can say it doesn't mean I want to." He shook his head, "Want something to drink?"

"No, I'm good." She kept her eye on him as he moved about the room, "So...Baltar is talking about me?"

He nods, pouring himself a tumbler of amber colored alcohol, "All morning. Said you're a force to be reckoned with...and that you are what his God had in mind when thinking of peace."

Erica began to chuckle, "He must not have seen me on New Caprica then."

"He said you know the true answers of the universe and that you're able to interact with the liquid cylon interface onboard their ship." Lee picked his head up to look at her as he brought the glass to his lips, "Any of it true?"

She swallowed, finally taken back, "Is that all?"

He nodded, "Said you are either the savior of our people, or the cause of their demise. Either way, God is speaking through you."

Gaia placed her hands at her hips, looking away from the man, "I'm going to kill him."

"We've all tried that-"

"No, you haven't. You had him saved. He wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for you." She shook her head, "So don't tell me you give a single frak."

"I've heard all of that before."

"Have you? You weren't on New Caprica. You didn't see what we all went through...fighting the good fight." Erica glanced up at him, "We were still all jailed at one point. We were all still in the forests and the trenches wondering if another person in our group was a cylon and they just didn't know...or they did and they were spying on us."

"It was no picnic on Pegasus either." Lee growled slightly, sounding like his father for the most part.

"No, obviously. Three squares a day, a warm bunk every night, safety of...frakking walls, your wife at your side. Sounds like torture."

"You're changing the subject."

"Because it isn't any of your business, especially when you weren't there with us. You may have aided in our rescue from that planet, but you didn't live it." Erica watched him still, she knew what she was doing, it was easier this way.

"Gaia, were you able to interact with the cylon interface?"

"And if I was?"

"I'd like to know what you saw." Lee nodded, sitting on the sofa.

"It's really none of your business what I saw." She looked him in the eye, feeling her defense mechanisms kicking in.

"No, it isn't. However, I'd like to know how best to protect you, or have you protected, if I need to."

Erica raised an eyebrow, "I'm able to protect myself."

"I'm not saying you aren't, but Baltar's listeners and followers have done some crazy things in the past." He sipped from his glass again, "And you weren't on board this ship then to see the majority of it, but take my word for it."

"It had nothing to do with the fleet."

"There aren't many people who are going to believe that."

"I'm only able to access my father's memories...my biological father's memories." Gaia swallowed, "I know that I wasn't his only child."

"There's a third cylon-human hybrid?" Lee watched as she moved closer to him, sitting at the other end of the sofa.

"I think so. I just keep seeing a little blonde girl. No names or anything. The mother was a soldier...a pilot. I think she was mean. Made him pick between his music and his family even though she was rarely there to begin with."

"And that means you saw your mother as well?"

"Twenty-something year old Laura Roslin in all her glory." Erica smirked, laughing to herself, "It was nice to see just how in love they were...just like it's nice to see that she found that again with the Admiral."

"Yeah, we aren't talking about that." Lee returned the expression, "Do you think your father may still be alive?"

"That's the thing, I have no idea. Nothing in the stream led me to believe one way or the other." She shook her head, leaning back against the cushions of the sofa, letting herself relax around him, "And if he was alive, I have no idea what he would look like and I'm betting The other models don't remember."

"What about Ellen Tigh?"

"What about her?"

"She is a resurrected Final Five...bet she remembers all of that." Lee shrugged, "or maybe she could at least offer a little help with it."

"I have dealt with that woman enough for one lifetime." Erica sighed, "She was creepy as hell when I was in the Brig."

"Oh, come on. We call that character." He chuckled, "When my father found her on board one of the other ships, the President decided to have a dinner party and invited the Tighs, the Admiral, and myself. That was it. She spent most of the evening running her foot up my leg, flirting with me, drinking, and insulting the President."

She giggled again, placing a hand on her chest in a vain attempt at calming herself, "You're kidding me."

Lee studied her, slowly smirking to himself as the room grows quiet, "You laugh like your mother."

Erica stopped, swallowing, "So, um..."

"That's a good thing. She's a good person, Erica."

"Yeah, so-"

"And she cares a great deal about you...about my father, the people...She very passionate about everyone she cares about." Lee nodded, "And everything she cares about."

"Why are we," Erica shook her head, standing, "What are we doing here, Lee?"

"Having a drink."

"No...no, I mean...Why are you telling me all of this?" She placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"Because I think you know things and you might need help sorting what you-"

"So, let me see if I got this. You went from pilot, to lawyer, to Quorum member, to President, and...now you're what..." She shook her head, "A psychologist?"

"No," He shook his head, "However, I still care a great deal about the people. Being that my father is now...dating your mother-"

"You think you have to take some big brother roll?" Erica began to laugh, "What the frak do I need a big brother for?"

"Because you've cut yourself off from the President since you came back." Lee nearly barked at her, "My priority is to make sure the President is-"

"No, you have no job. You have no meaning here." Erica nearly glared at him, "You shouldn't even be aboard this ship any longer, but your father is the Admiral and Laura happens to like you, so here you are. No purpose." She walked toward the hatch.

"And yet you're still skirting around things, Gaia. Where are you even going?"

"I need to see Doctor Baltar...or is it Our Lord and Savior now?" She shook her head.

"You don't want to do that." Lee stood from his place at the sofa, walking over to her, "There are guards at the door. They aren't going to allow you to-"

"He said I'm a messenger of his God. I'm going to go and give him a message." Gaia glared at the man once more, "Maybe you should go back to being Apollo, at least it was something you were good at." She exits through the hatch going to find the former President.


	15. Chapter 15

"And so I say to you, my brothers and sisters, who should we believe in these matters? Me, a lowly scientist? Or shall it be a young woman born from the ashes of a long ago boxed cylon model, who is able to see his memories as if looking through his own eyes? I love you all, but I am a only a professor of God's teachings of love." Baltar clicked off the microphone and outstretched his arms, nodding to his followers around him as they all wrapped their arms around him. It appeared more like an orgy than anything else.

Elica slipped through the hatch, catching sight of the ending of his broadcast. She didn't know what to expect. She had only minute exposure with this man from when they were onboard the Basestar, but she knew she didn't like him. His past with the people preserved him.

He heard the heavy door close and turned his head toward the noise. Standing, he started walking to her, "Do you see, children of the One True God? This is what I was speaking about. She is the one I was talking about." He smirked the way he always has, a smarmy look as if he had just pulled one over on the person he was speaking to, "She is like the Agathon child. So much so that she came before her. The eldest-"

The young woman charged over to him, tackling him to the floor, "All the pain you caused. All the confusion." She laid a blow against his cheek.

"Your mother signed a bill. I will have you arrested for this." Baltar cried out between blows, bringing his hands up to his face once she ceased her beating.

"Fair enough. Hide behind the law." It was obvious that the gears were beginning to turn in her mind, "Is this the man you worship? You are worshiping false idols." Gaia slowly stood above him, looking around to his people, "This man does not speak for your God. He is a heretic and a liar." The look on her face turned into a glare, "Think of how you lived while on New Caprica. He is to blame for that. My...President Roslin would have never backed down. She didn't while we were there. She was the head figure of the Resistance."

"Tell them who President Roslin is to you, Erica." Baltar called out, always wanting to take pot shots at the woman.

"It doesn't mean anything."

"Tell them who your mother is!" He nearly barked at her.

"Rose Tejera. She was a professor at Hades University. Died in a car accident when I was nine." Erica watched him closely.

"That's...that's not true." Baltar stammered.

"My name is Erica Tejera. I'm a Lieutenant with the Colonial Marines. You all, you followers of this idiot, you all need to stop looking to him for the answers. The only answers you find are hidden within yourselves. If you don't believe in yourself, you have nothing to believe in." She moved from the man, walking toward the hatch again.

"Wait a minute..." A voice called out, a young woman, older than Gaia herself, stepped forward, "Your mother was Professor Tejera?"

"Yes, ma'am." Gaia turned, glancing to the woman.

"You were adopted then." The woman nodded, "The Professor and her husband were both dark as midnight. There's no possible way you could be their biological child." She slowly smirked, "She taught child psychology. I studied under her for years. Brilliant woman."

"See? Do you all see?" Baltar grinned, motioning to her again, "I would never tell you untrue-"

"Save it." Gaia growled, "My biological mother is Laura Roslin, but that means nothing when-"

"And your father. Tell them who he is."

She quickly swung her arm out, grasping him by the throat, "We were all pawns in your little game, Gaius Baltar." Erica let go only when security pulled her off of him, "Keep my name out of your mouth. If I hear it once more, I will end you." After struggling with the guards for a moment, they released her, allowing her to storm out of the place.

She folded her arms above her head, and attempted to calm her emotions. After a moment, she released her arms and began her jog once more, returning to her rack. Erica stepped through the hatch and glanced to her rack, raising an eyebrow at the light left on inside and what appeared to be someone in it. Slowly walking over to it, Gaia pulled back the privacy curtain, rolling her eyes to the person who was inside.

"I've always thought I was claustrophobic, but it isn't all that bad in here."

"Madam President, something I can help you with?"

Laura Roslin smirked, "This whole ignoring me thing...that never works." She slowly climbed out, "We have to talk things through."

"What is there to talk about?" Gaia shook her head, folding her arms.

"I must return to Colonial One." She watched the girl, "Now that I'm feeling better...and my hair is even starting to return already."

"I'm stationed here." Her face conveyed no emotion, just stating fact.

"Yes, that is certainly true. Hear me out." Laura placed her hands on her hips, "I'd like for you to live with me on Colonial one.

Erica gave a fake grin, "Oh, so we can have slumber parties, tell ghost stories, paint our nails with the blood of fallen soldiers." She shook her head, "I need to fulfill my duties as-"

"None of that matters anymore." She answered quietly, "I need you with me. I need to get to know you."

"Just because there was something that some may refer to as bonding on board the frakking baseship, does not mean-"

"Except, I believe it does." Laura nodded, "Like it or not, you're my daughter. Looking back, if I had not given you up and Cavil were able to follow your father more, to find out that he had you...and you say that you believe another exists, he would have disposed of you. Don't you understand?"

Gaia swallowed, looking at the woman, "I can't just sit around and do nothing."

"Then don't. You can be my assistant. Gods know Tory wants nothing to do with me anymore."

"She seemed pretty interested on the Baseship."

Laura shook her head, "No, honey, she was interested in you."

Erica watched her, "I'm sorry I've been a bitch to you lately. I just..."

"Scared. It's okay to admit. You were scared."

Glancing up at the other woman, she licked her lips awkwardly, "I...I've seen a lot of things already. Your little errand boy came to me as well. It's..."

"Yes, speaking of Lee, why aren't you staying with him? I thought that's what the plan was." Laura watched her.

"I wasn't comfortable."

"Lee is harmless, Erica."

"I can't help but think he only likes me the way men like me." Gaia placed her hands on her hips, "I'll go with you to Colonial One. Do I get different clothes out of the deal?"

Laura began to grin, "I'll see what I can do."

"Because I don't think wearing some black marine fatigues is going to go well walking into the press corp."

"Neither do I, but I think we should go public with your existence. No more hiding. No more questions." She watched the young woman before her, "Make sense?"

Erica nodded somberly, "It doesn't have to come out what I am, right?"

"No, absolutely not." Laura placed her hand on the young woman's upper arm, "I'll have your things taken to Colonial One."

Again she nodded, "I think I need a drink." Glancing to the other woman, she picked her head up, "You do have alcohol onboard your ship, right?"

"Honey, I wouldn't get by without the occasional drink." She grinned, "Plus, Bill likes to have it around."

Erica nodded, "I don't feel like I belong here...not really at least. I don't feel like my teachings when I became a marine even matter anymore."

"Of course they matter. They're still a part of you."

She glanced to her bunk, "I need to pack."

"Of course. I will be in Bill's quarters. We will leave tomorrow. Is that okay?" Laura grinned.

"Guess it will have to be." Erica looked to the woman again, "Go get your kicks until you get back to your ship."

She hit the younger woman's arm playfully, "You're awful."

"That's what I hear."


	16. Chapter 16

"Your son has taken quite a liking in regards to my daughter." Laura folded her arm behind her head as she rested nude on the bunk with her partner. She smirked, looking over to him as he has his arms wrapped around her, "Tries to make up any excuse to talk to her...though, I may also be giving him reasons to talk to her."

"You are an instigator." Bill Adama grinned, nuzzling his face into the side of her neck, "I don't see why you need to go back to Colonial One."

"It has a bigger bed." She smirked, teasing him. "My absence from the ship has gotten some concerns."

"You're getting back to work that quickly?" He softly kissed her jaw.

"I have to, Bill."

"Nah, just retire."

"Why would I do that?" Laura shook her head, glancing over to him, "So that you could be the big man that you are and support me and be the main breadwinner-"

"I walked right into it, didn't I..." It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement. "I want us to get married and, yeah...You can live here." He pushed himself up with his arms so he could face her better., "Think about it, Laura." Bill loved just gazing at her features, at her body. Anything he could really.

"You want us to get married?" She began to giggle softly, placing her hand on his cheek, "Why?"

"Because I love you. It's what people do when they're in love." Bill nodded, "And I hear you've never been a bride. I'd like to make you one."

"And what, we'll adopt one of the orphans on one of the civilian ships and play house?"

"If that's what you want, yeah." He smirked, "I want you to be happy...I want to be happy, Laura. I'm happy with you."

Her sarcastic smirk started to fade, "You're serious."

"Very." Bill leaned down, kissing her softly, "Laura Roslin, will you marry me?"

Laura licked her lips after, then biting them, "Absolutely." She leaned up, returning his kiss again, melting into him.

Erica rounded the corner into Joe's Bar. Something was drawing her here. She couldn't place her finger on it. The piano. It caught her eye first thing. She slowly walked over to it, seeing a handsome blonde haired man with his fingers over the keys, a young woman sitting next to him. Closer she stepped before hearing the bang of someone throwing the ball at the arcade pyramid game, drawing her attention for only a moment. She looked back to the piano bench, the man gone, but sitting there is someone else. Someone familiar. "Oh my gods." She breathed out.

Kara Thrace looked up to her. The scene playing out like the dream she continually had. "You're the..." She shook her head, "No, this can't be happening right now. You're part skin job."

Tejera swallowed, "So are you."

"No." She continued, "My father was a concert pianist and-"

"Mine played piano at a bar, according to Laura Roslin."

Starbuck stopped touching the keys, placing her hand against the wood.

Gaia swallowed, "I don't like this any more than you do."

"It isn't that-" She looked over to the other woman, "I've killed thousands of those things. I can't be one of them."

"So have I." She slowly sat the opposite way on the bench, her back to the piano, "We're just...we're sisters. That's all there is to it."

"Forgive me if I don't invite you to the next family picnic." Starbuck mumbled.

"I kept having a dream about a little blonde girl and...Kara, if you go to the base ship and touch this...fluid stuff, you can see all his memories. I could see them all. Your mother was terrible to you. Daniel hated-"

"My father's name wasn't Daniel."

"He had many names." Gaia nodded, "Look, this may actually be a good thing. I mean, I'm not going to be on board this ship too much anymore. I'm going back to Colonial One with Laura and-"

"Can't you just call her your mother?" Starbuck sighed.

She shrugged, "Maybe someday."

"You're going with her?"

Gaia nodded, "I'm her new assistant. Good thing is, she can't really fire me." She smirked, "I know it's a lot to process."

Kara nodded, "It explains a lot though."

"I didn't mention anything to Ellen Tigh...not that I remember anyway. She...discovered that I existed and someone in sickbay told her about my blood workups. I don't know who, but..." She shrugged.

"I've had blood workups. My blood is completely normal."

"Maybe you're a lucky one."

"Maybe I'm...Maybe this is wrong and you have the wrong person." Starbuck shook her head, knowing she saw an auburn haired girl in her dreams featuring her father, standing there as if she wanted to be acknowledged, much in the same way Gaia approached the piano a few moments ago, "I told Anders I'd shoot him if he was a skin job and now..." She glanced over toward the younger woman, "He's a frakking vegetable and I'm still alive. A part of me is one of them." It was almost as if she was attempting to convince herself, "I shouldn't be alive."

"Maybe the gods have bigger plans for us." Gaia shrugged, "I mean, think about it, we weren't discovered until only recently. All that went down with Hera Agathon and then what...turns out she isn't alone. You going to just keep beating yourself up? Denying it?"

"I've killed more of them than-"

"So have I. So what...They deserved it."

Kara began to stare at the piano keys, slowly stroking them with the pads of her fingers, "They knew. They removed one of my ovaries...they've known all this time."

Erica glanced to her, "Yeah?"

"Frakking..." She stood, running a hand through her hair, slowly realizing everyone around the bar was watching her.

"Sit down." The younger woman mumbled, nodding when she obliged, "You aren't alone in this, alright? Though it's nothing I care to admit, we share a father. We're sisters. I get the feeling your life was hell."

"It's none of your business."

"Whatever, but we need to look out for one another. That's the only way we can protect ourselves from the wrath of the fleet, the interest of the cylons, and frakking scientists breathing down our necks. Get it?" Erica watched her.

Kara knew the girl was genuine, but she also knew everything she's been told as she's grown up has been a lie. "How do I know you aren't just another-"

"Because what's in it for me?" She chuckled, "Think about it. What have I to gain from this? Everything I was ever told...it was all a frakking lie. Just like you. So, what have I to gain except the attention of the cylons? I don't want that. I don't want you to have that either. So, if they focus on me, they'll pay no attention to you."

"Different models have different aspects of information."

"I'm aware." Erica nodded, "However, so do we. I bet if you place your hand in the...whatever the frak that stuff is on their ship, I bet you'll see what I did." She stood, "Look, I gotta pack and shit, but this isn't going to change. I'll be back here constantly, so..."

Kara glanced to her, "Yeah, alright." She looked to her hands, slowly playing the usual tune on the piano.

Gaia grinned, listening for a moment, "That wasn't his, you know."

"What?"

"That wasn't our father's tune."

Starbuck wasn't aware. She didn't know where she heard the music before, but continued playing as the other young woman walked off.

"I don't want some big to do of a wedding. I don't know if I want anything at all except us and a priestess." Laura shook her head, staring at the ceiling as she continues to lie in the cot with the man she is set to marry, "I'd like to grow some of my hair back first, if that's possible."

Bill chuckled, "And if it isn't, you're going to continue being the most beautiful bald woman in the entire fleet."

"It's already peach fuzz. Can you believe that?"

"So soon?"

"Yeah, cylon genes, I suppose..." Laura shrugged, removing the scarf wrapped around her head, "When the hair grows out to my liking, then we will be married."

"Will I still be alive?" Bill quirked his eyebrow as he climbed over her.

"Don't speak like that."

"I'm not as young as I used to be, Laura." He shook his head, "You're able to receive transfusions and live until you're three-hundred, I'm not so lucky...and I don't know if I even want to be."

Roslin continued to stare at the man, "What is that even supposed to mean?"

"It means I want to marry you sooner rather than later." Bill grumbled..

"You can't possibly wait a month or two?"

"What the hell is the point of waiting, Laura? Not like pictures will be taken. Or, maybe there will be since we're...but it isn't something we should stress over." He walked over to his glass pitcher containing what little scotch was left in the fleet, pouring himself a glass, "You're perfect to me. Hair, no hair, it doesn't matter to me."

Laura caught herself rolling her eyes as she sat up, "While I'm thrilled to hear that, I-"

"We frak and it doesn't matter to me, I shower with you and it doesn't matter to me, we sleep next to one another and it doesn't matter to me."

"Bill-"

"All I'm saying is that you're beautiful. Besides, no hair can be a turn on."

"Yes, well see, that last part is a lie coming from you." She smirked.

"How do you figure?"

"Because you aren't about to frak Saul Tigh." Laura began to giggle, watching him shift uneasily, "Bill, it will make me feel more comfortable. Besides, you know how quickly it grows."

"Not really. You didn't lose any hair last time." Bill sipped from the tumbler glass.

"Take my word for it. Few months, tops."

He looked to her comfortable frame in his rack, "Then we'll get married?"

"Absolutely." Laura grinned, watching as the man blushed, "Laura Adama sounds interesting, doesn't it? Don't know if I'll take the name though."

"Why not? Adama is a strong, Tauron name." Bill placed a hand on his hip.

"Two Adamas leading the fleet?"

"Lee's been doing it."

"Lee won't be married to you."

"True." He nodded, walking back over to her. He leaned down, catching her lips with his own, and kissed her deeply, "It will be an honor to call you my wife, regardless of what you decide in a name."

"Few months." Laura pressed her lips against his again, sucking on his bottom lip a moment, "Few months."


End file.
